11,//.   I 


^  PRINCETON,  N.  J.  <S^ 


Presented    by  *JW\ot    l^es  Sorrel  I  ,   D.D 

Burre 11      ^   . 
1926   '  DaVld  J^eS,  184 


The,  laughter  of 


God  and 


THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD 


By 
David  James  Burrell,  D.  D. 

"Dr.  Burrell'8  sermons  warm  the  heart 
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his  own.  We  wish  most  heartily  that  these 
good  sermons  might  be  preached  in  every 
church  in  the  land." — Standard. 

The  Laughter  of  God.     12mn°;  ^ 

Why  I  Believe    the    Bible.    l2mo, 
cloth net  $1.00 

The  Sermon:    Its  Construction  and 
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The  Wayfarers  Of  the  Bible.    Interna- 
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Christ  and  Progress.    A  Discussion  of 

the  Problems  of  Our  Times.     International 
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The  Wonderful  Teacher  and  What 

He    Taught.       12mo,  cloth,  .    .    net  .60 


THE 


LAUGHTER   OF    GOD 


11  1918 


:    i 


AND  OTHER  SERMONS 

(Expository) 

BY 

DAVID  JAMES  BURRELL,  D.D. 

Pastor  of  the  Marble  Collegiate  Church,  New  York 


New  York  Chicago 

Fleming    H.    Revell    Company 

London  and  Edinburgh 


Copyright,  1918,  by 
FLEMING  H.  REVELL  COMPANY 


New  York:  158  Fifth  Avenue 
Chicago:  17  N.  Wabash  Ave. 
London:  21  Paternoster  Square 
Edinburgh:       75   Princes    Street 


CONTENTS 


I  The  Laughter  of  God  ....  7 

II  The  Voice  in  the  Storm     ...  16 

III  The  Traveller's  Guide       ...  25 

IV  The  Trumpets  of  Zion       ...  34 
V  The  Forbidden  Tree      .       .   •    .       .  44 

VI  The  Great   Amnesty    ....  54 

VII  The  Hand  of  Macbeth       ...  64 

VIII  The  Beatific  Vision     .....  74 

IX  A  Prayer  That  Shook  the  Hills  .  83 

X  The  Bells  of  Bethlehem   .       .       .92 

XI  Life  on  the  Jericho  Road    .        .       .  100 

XII  "Love  Your  Enemies"       .       .       „  no 

XIII  The  Primacy  of  Peter       .        .       .  120 

XIV  Children  in  the  Marketplace  .       .  129 
XV     A  Clinic  in  Tyre 140 

XVI  An   Intelligible   God    ....  149 

XVII     A  Model  Church 158 

XVIII     Yea  and  Nay 167 

XIX  The  Far-away  Look     .       ,       .  176 

XX  Unutterable  Things    ....  185 

XXI  Unanswered  Prayers    ....  194 

XXII  Paul  on  His  Knees     ....  202 

XXIII  The  Fourth  Dimension     .       .        .  210 


If  any  man  minister,  let  him  do  it  as  of  the  ability  which 
God  giveth;  that  God  in  all  things  may  be  glorified  through 
Jesus  Christ,  to  whom  be  praise  and  dominion  forever. 


I 

THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD 

"Why  do  the  heathen  rage, 
And  the  people  imagine  a  vain  thing? 
The  kings  of  the  earth  set  themselves, 
And  the  rulers  take  counsel  together, 
Against  the  Lord  and  against  his  Anointed,  saying, 
'  Let  us  break  their  bands  asunder, 
And  cast  away  their  cords  from  us ! ' 
He  that  sitteth  in  the  heavens  shall  laugh." 

Psalm  2. 

I    HAVE  heard  the  Bible  spoken  of  as  "  a  back 
number  ";  but  only  gross  ignorance  or  crass  prej- 
udice could  so  characterize  it.     Read  for  your- 
self and  see. 

It  is  the  oldest  of  books;  but  it  was  adjusted  in  the 
beginning  by  its  divine  Author  to  all  the  vicissitudes 
of  succeeding  ages. 

A  back  number  indeed !  Tell  me,  then ;  Why  should 
it  be  the  best  seller  in  the  book-markets  of  the  world 
to-day  ? 

The  second  Psalm  is  offered  in  evidence.  It  was 
written  three  thousand  years  ago ;  nevertheless  it  is  so 
distinctly  up-to-date  that  it  sounds  as  if  it  has  been 
composed  "  somewhere  in  Flanders,"  within  sound  of 
the  heavy  guns  on  the  firing  line. 

It  contains  four  stanzas  of  three  verses  each;  and 
in  them  we  shall  find  an  answer  to  four  great  ques- 
tions which  are  disturbing  the  hearts  of  the  people 
just  now. 

7 


8  THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD 

In  the  first  stanza  we  have  an  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, 

"who  began  this  war?" 

The  kings  and  rulers  of  the  earth  are  represented 
as  sitting  in  council  to  devise  schemes  for  thwarting 
the  beneficent  plans  of  the  Father  and  his  anointed 
Son. 

But  kings  and  their  counsellors  are  not  alone  to 
blame.  Behold  the  mob !  The  heathen  are  raging  and 
the  people  imagining  a  vain  thing.  Hear  them  shout- 
ing "  Let  us  break  his  bands  asunder  and  cast  -away 
his  cords  from  us!" 

What  bands?  The  bands  of  law  and  order  and 
humanity  and  righteousness.  Whose  cords?  The  re- 
straining cords  of  the  Lord  and  his  Anointed. 

Thus  rulers  and  people  clasp  hands  in  an  effort  to 
cast  off  salutary  restraint  and  revel  in  lawless  free- 
dom. This  is  the  world's  war — All  hands  to  the  firing 
line !  It  is  a  mad,  reckless,  tumultuous  revolt  against 
God. 

In  the  second  stanza  we  have  an  answer  to  the 
question, 

"what  was  the  occasion  of  the  war?" 

They  say  it  was  provoked  by  the  assassination  of  a 
prince  in  Vienna  three  years  ago.  That,  however,  was 
a  mere  pretext,  a  convenient  pretext  for  the  kindling 
of  fagots  which  ambitious  despots  had  for  decades 
been  heaping  up. 

The  plans  were  long  maturing:  as  to  some  treaties 
which  were  to  be  kept  and  others  to  be  broken ;  as  to 
the  pathways  of  armies  advancing  to  conquest  in  many 


THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD  9 

lands  and  over  the  seven  seas.  Then  came  the  fulness 
of  time.  An  assassin's  dagger  pointed  along  the  dial ; 
but  God  struck  the  hour.  The  despots  wanted  war; 
and  he  said,  "  They  shall  have  it !  "  Thus  the  light- 
nings, once  loosed,  passed  into  mightier  hands. 

Listen !  A  burst  of  laughter  out  of  heaven !  Be  not 
deceived;  God  is  not  mocked;  whatsoever  a  nation 
soweth  that  shall  it  also  reap.  The  mob  that  sowed 
•the  dragons'  teeth  shall  cry  for  peace ;  but  behold,  the 
Reaper  is  abroad  in  the  world  and  it  will  be  for  him 
to  say  when  they  shall  have  it.  Alas,  for  those  who 
run  upon  the  bosses  of  the  shield  of  God ! 

But  is  there  wrath  in  him? 

Why  not  ?  God's  name  is  love,  but  let  it  not  be  for- 
gotten that  he  has  another  name,  to  wit,  "  a  consum- 
ing fire."  Who  would  respect  a  man  incapable  of 
anger  when  occasion  calls  for  it?  A  God  with  no 
room  in  his  nature  for  holy  indignation — a  God  who 
could  look  on  bloodstained  seas  and  desolated  homes 
without  the  making  bare  of  his  mighty  arm — would  not 
be  a  respectable  God. 

Hence  this  burst  of  laughter.  He  is  angry ;  where- 
fore the  war  goes  on.  In  vain  do  pacifists  conspire  and 
Vaticans  plead  for  peace.  An  indignant  God  is  in  the 
field,  and  the  chastening  must  continue  until  the  blas- 
phemous schemes  of  the  God-haters  are  brought 
low. 

Meanwhile  he  laughs  at  the  fatuity  of  his  enemies 
as  at  a  swarm  of  gnats  that  conspire  against  a  cyclone, 
or  a  nest  of  blind  adders  that  spit  out  their  venom 
against  the  sun,  or  a  convocation  of  earth-worms  that 
presume  to  lift  up  their  crowned  heads  against  the 
king's  chariot  on  his  highway. 


10  THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD 

And  he  "  speaks  unto  them  in  his  wrath."  Observe 
what  he  says :  "  Yet  have  I  set  my  King  upon  my  holy 
hill  of  Zion!' 

There  is  a  world  of  significance  in  that  little  "  yet." 
It  means,  "  Despite  your  plotting  and  your  rightful- 
ness and  your  disregard  of  all  laws  human  and  divine, 
my  Anointed  shall  sit  supreme  among  the  nations  and 
his  Golden  Rule  shall  yet  bring  in  the  Golden  Age. 
Your  heavy  battalions,  your  airships  and  dread- 
naughts  and  submarines  shall  not  prevail  against 
him." 

Moreover  he  "  vexes  them  in  his  sore-displeasure." 
Let  us  not  mistake  the  significance  of  current  events. 
When  God  is  sore  displeased  it  behooves  the  people 
to  stop,  look  and  listen. 

There  was  a  time  in  the  history  of  France  when  the 
Corps  Legislatif  passed  a  solemn  resolution  "  That 
there  is  no  God."  That  word  passed  out  of  the  As- 
sembly and  was  caught  up  by  the  multitudes  who 
swept  through  the  streets  crying  "  There  is  no  God !  " 
A  courtesan  was  brought  in  a  triumphal  chariot  to 
Notre  Dame  and  enthroned  at  the  high  altar  as  God- 
dess of  Reason.  That  night  "  The  Terror  "  began  : 
and  the  gutters  of  Paris  ran  red  with  blood.  The 
seed-sowing  of  the  wind  was  reaped  in  a  whirlwind 
of  death.  The  people  courted  "  vexation,"  and  they 
had  it. 

In  the  third  stanza  we  have  an  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, 

"why  do  they  keep  on  fighting?" 

And  the  answer  is,  because  they  cannot  help  it. 
The  nations  have  in  fact  given  up  their  dreams  of  con- 


THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD  11 

quest.  Ahab  no  longer  covets  the  Belgian  vineyard. 
But  repentance  comes  too  late.  There  is  another  King 
now  on  the  premises,  and  the  belligerents  must  reckon 
with  him. 

The  Heir-apparent,  that  is,  the  Anointed,  now  ap- 
pears and  presents  his  credentials :  "  I  will  declare  the 
decree,"  he  says;  and  he  proceeds,  as  it  were,  to  un- 
fold the  parchment  on  which  is  written,  signed  and 
sealed  with  Jehovah's  signet,  "  Thou  art  my  Son,  this 
day  have  I  begotten  thee." 

It  thus  appears  that  Christ  the  Anointed  is  the  only 
begotten  and  therefore  co-equal  Son  of  God. 

All  men  are  God's- sons  by  creation,  and  many  are 
his  sons  by  adoption ;  but  he  has  only  one  begotten 
Son,  to  whom  belong  the  kingdoms  of  this  world  by 
right  of  lineal  descent  and  primogeniture.  He  is  fore- 
ordained to  be  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords.  The 
government  is  upon  his  shoulder.  Thus  it  is  decreed 
and  thus  it  must  be. 

The  day  when  this  title  was  definitely  assured  to 
him  was  the  day  when  he  rose  triumphant  from  the 
dead.  By  this  he  was  "  declared  to  be  the  Son  of  God 
with  power." 

All  doubt  as  to  this  most  wonderful  and  singular 
birth-day  is  removed  by  Paul's  words  in  the  syna- 
gogue at  Antioch :  "  We  declare  unto  you  glad  tidings, 
how  that  the  promise  which  was  made  unto  the 
fathers  God  hath  fulfilled  the  same  unto  us  their  chil- 
dren, in  that  he  hath  raised  up  Jesus  again;  as  it  is 
also  written  in  the  second  Psalm,  '  Thou  art  my  Son, 
this  day  have  I  begotten  thee.'  " 

In  the  paschal  cup  we  drink  to  "  The  Day,"  as  a 
foregleam  of  the  coming  day  of  his  coronation  when 


12  THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD 

all  kings  shall  prostrate  themselves  and  every  knee 
shall  bow  before  him. 

And  with  the  Decree  goes  a  great  promise;  "Ask 
of  me  and  I  will  give  thee  the  heathen  for  thy  in- 
heritance and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth  for  thy 
possession." 

Has  Christ  ever  asked  this?  Come  to  Calvary  and 
see.  Was  ever  such  a  prayer  offered  since  the 
foundation  of  the  world  as  when  he,  lifted  up  betwixt 
heaven  and  earth  to  die  for  us  men  and  our  salva- 
tion, stretched  out  his  hands  in  divine  appeal  for 
the  heathen  and  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth 
to  be  given  him  as  the  fruit  of  the  travail  of  his 
soul? 

In  the  fourth  stanza  we  have  an  answer  to  the  ques- 
tion, 

"when  will  this  war  end?" 

It  will  end  when  the  nations  have  learned  the  les- 
son which  God  is  trying  to  teach  them  and  not  before. 
Certain  it  is  that  they  have  not  learned  it  yet.  Na- 
tional pride  must  be  brought  low.  Dreams  of  conquest 
must  be  dissipated  into  thin  air.  Christ  and  his  Gos- 
pel of  peace  must  be  acknowledged  as  supreme  over 
all. 

The  time  will  come  when,  like  Julian  the  Apostate, 
the  arrogant  provokers  of  strife  shall  clutch  the  earth 
and  cry,  "  Galilean,  thou  hast  conquered ! "  Then 
shall  the  end  be.  Meanwhile  they  are  like  rebellious 
boys  kept  after  school  to  con  their  unlearned  les- 
son. To  them  the  Lord  speaks;  "Be  wise,  there- 
fore, O  ye  kings;  be  instructed,  ye  judges  of  the 
earth" 


THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD  13 

They  will  never  yield  until  they  are  broken :  never 
until  defeat  and  gaunt  hunger  and  empty  exchequers 
and  the  draining  of  martial  resources  shall  have 
brought  them  to  their  knees.  This  is  involved  in  the 
divine  plan ;  as  it  is  written,  "  Thou  shalt  break  them 
with  a  rod  of  iron;  thou  shalt  dash  them  to  pieces  as 
a  potter's  vessel." 

If  this  world  is  ever  to  be  Christ's  it  is  obvious  that 
some  things  must  go.  The  pride  of  power  and  the  lust 
of  conquest  must  go.  Militarism  must  go.  And  they 
are  going,  going  at  the  pace  that  kills! 

The  freedom  of  the  world  is  being  purchased  with  a 
great  price ;  but,  when  the  sun  rises  upon  a  chastened 
and  regenerated  race — ready  for  the  coming  of  peace 
— we  shall  see  that  the  awful  price  was  not  too  great 
to  pay  for  it. 

Wherefore  let  kings  and  rulers  and  all  who  long 
for  brighter  days  "serve  the  Lord  with  fear  and  re- 
joice with  trembling." 

The  divine  purposes  are  ripening  fast.  Day  by  day 
it  becomes  more  evident  that  God  is  making  the  wrath 
of  men  to  praise  him.  He  is  a  great  God;  and  we, 
whose  breath  is  in  our  nostrils,  cannot  afford  to  be  at 
odds  with  him. 

If  it  be  not  so  with  you,  "  kiss  the  Son  lest  he  be 
angry  and  ye  perish  from  the  way  when  his  wrath  is 
kindled  but  a  little."  To  kiss  the  prince,  in  ancient 
times,  was  a  token  of  fealty.  Thus  do  we  pass  under 
the  yoke  of  Christ;  submitting  to  his  cords  of  truth 
and  his  bonds  of  righteousness  as  our  reasonable 
service. 

If  we  care  for  an  echo  of  this  up-to-date  Psalm  we 
shall  find  it  in  the  Battle  Hymn  of  the  Republic: 


14  THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD 

"  I  have  read  a  fiery  Gospel  writ  in  burnished  rows  of  steel ; 
As  ye  deal  with  my  contemners  so  with  you  my  grace  shall 

deal  ; 
Let  the  Hero,  born  of  woman,  crush  the  serpent  with  his 
heel, 

Since  God  is  marching  on. 

"He  has  sounded  forth  a  trumpet  that  shall  never  call  re- 
treat ; 
He  is  sifting  out  the  hearts  of  men  before  his  judgment 

seat; 
O  be  swift,  my  soul,  to  answer  him!    Be  jubilant,  my  feet; 
Our  God  is  marching  on." 

It  is  fitting  that  a  portion  of  Scripture  so  full  of 
the  divine  majesty — like  a  sky  with  alternating  suns 
and  storms — should  close  with  a  benediction ;  u  Blessed 
are  all  they  that  put  their  trust  in  hint!"  This  is  our 
supreme  need,  a  more  implicit  trust  in  him. 

The  passing  days  call  for  great  believers.  Little- 
Faith,  who  worships  a  little  god,  is  inevitably  at  his 
wits'  end.  The  God  in  whom  we  trust  is  a  great  God ! 
Clouds  and  darkness  are  round  about  him;  righteous- 
ness and  judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne. 
But  ever  "  behind  a  frowning  providence  he  hides  a 
smiling  face." 

Let  us  rest  assured  that  out  of  this  world's  war 
will  emerge  a  better  world  to  live  in. 

If  Christ  were  not  strong  enough  to  crush  the  ser- 
pent with  his  heel,  he  would  not  be  able  to  save  unto 
the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  him.  Our  God  is  the 
God  of  salvation.  He  is  our  refuge  and  our  strength ; 
therefore  will  we  not  fear  though  the  earth  be  re- 
moved and  the  mountains  be  cast  into  the  midst  of 
the  sea. 


THE  LAUGHTER  OF  GOD  15 

We  are  living  in  momentous  times.  These  are  the 
times  Isaiah  foresaw  when  he  wrote,  "  Who  is  this 
that  cometh  from  Bozrah,  glorious  in  his  apparel, 
travelling  in  the  greatness  of  his  strength  ? — I  that 
speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save — Wherefore  art 
thou  red  in  thine  apparel  and  thy  garments  like  him 
that  treadeth  in  the  winefat? — I  have  trodden  the 
winepress  alone,  and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with 
me.  The  day  of  vengeance  is  in  my  heart,  and  the 
year  of  my  redeemed  is  come." 

These  are  the  times  of  which  John  dreamed  in 
Patmos ;  "  I  saw  heaven  opened,  and  beheld  a  white 
horse;  and  he  that  sat  upon  him  was  called  Faithful 
and  True.  His  eyes  were  as  a  flame  of  fire;  on  his' 
head  were  many  crowns,  and  in  righteousness  he  doth 
judge  and  make  war.  Out  of  his  mouth  goeth  a  sharp 
two-edged  sword,  with  which  he  doth  smite  the  na- 
tions. He  treadeth  the  winepress  of  the  fierceness 
and  wrath  of  Almighty  God.  And  he  hath  upon  his 
vesture  and  upon  his  thigh  a  name  written,  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords." 

"  In  an  age  on  ages  telling,  to  be  living  is  sublime." 

The  King  is  on  his  triumphant  march  to  the  throne. 
He  comes  amid  the  roar  and  tempest  of  Armageddon 
to  tread  the  red  dragon  under  his  feet  and  assume 
his  own  dominion  from  the  river  unto  the  ends  of 
the  earth. 

Fall  in  with  the  logic  of  events,  O  people  of  Christ ! 
Hosanna  in  the  highest !  Welcome  the  righteous  and 
eternal  peace!  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates,  and 
let  the  King  of  glory  enter  in ! 


( 


II 

THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM 

"Give  unto  the  Lord,  O  ye  sons  of  the  mighty, 
Give  unto  the  Lord  glory  and  strength. 
Give  unto  the  Lord  the  glory  due  unto  His  name; 
Worship  the  Lord  in  the  beauty  of  holiness. 
The  voice  of  the  Lord  is  upon  the  waters! 

The  God  of  glory  thundereth, 

Even  the  Lord  upon  many  waters. 

The  voice  of  the  Lord  is  powerful ; 

The  voice  of  the  Lord  breaketh  the  cedars; 

Yea,  the  Lord  breaketh  in  pieces  the  cedars  of  Lebanon. 

He  maketh  them  also  to  skip  like  a  calf; 

Lebanon  and  Sirion  like  a  young  wild-ox. 

The  voice  of  the  Lord  cleaveth  the  flames  of  fire. 

The  voice  of  the  Lord  shaketh  the  wilderness; 

The  Lord  shaketh  the  wilderness  of  Kadesh. 

The  voice  of  the  Lord  maketh  the  hinds  to  calve, 

And  strippeth  the  forests  bare: 

And  in  his  temple  everything  saith,  Glory! 

The  Lord  sat  as  king  at  the  Flood; 

Yea,  the  Lord  sitteth  as  king  for  ever. 

The  Lord  will  give  strength  unto  his  people; 

The  Lord  will  bless  his  people  with  peace." 

Psalm  29. 

"Fm I   JHERE  are  no  songs  like  the  songs  of  Zion." 
So  said  John  Milton,  himself  the  sweetest 
-*-      of  uninspired  poets;  and  all  reverent  stu- 
dents of  the  Scriptures  agree  with  him. 

16 


THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM  17 

We  have  here  one  of  the  most  sublime  of  these  songs 
of  Zion.    Its  title  is  "  The  Voice  in  the  Storm." 

It  begins  with  a  Gloria  and  ends  with  a  Pax  Vobis- 
cum.     It  is  divided  into  three  strophes. 

In  the  first  the  storm  is  represented  as  gathering  in 
the  North.  The  clouds  assemble  over  Mount  Hermon ; 
there  are  ominous  mutterings  as  before  a  battle. 

In  the  second  the  gale  comes  sweeping  toward  the 
South.  The  sky  is  rent  with  vivid  lightnings  and 
reverberates  with  peals  of  thunder.  The  flood-gates 
are  open;  the  cedars  of  the  forest  are  crashing;  the 
mountains  are  trembling. 

In  the  third,  the  storm  moves  over  the  Wilderness 
of  Kadesh  with  lessening  violence  and  dies  away  in 
silence  toward  the  Great  Sea. 

It  is  a  wonderful  Psalm;  and  should  be  read,  as 
Spurgeon  says,  "  beneath  the  black  wing  of  the  tem- 
pest; its  verses  marching  to  the  tune  of  thunderbolts." 
God  is  everywhere  conspicuous.  The  earth  is  hushed 
by  the  majesty  of  his  presence.  There  are  voices  on 
every  hand ;  but  his  voice  is  over  all. 

We  have  here  the  inspired  conception  of  Nature  as 
a  temple  in  which  "  everything  saith,  Glory !  "  that  is, 
everything  in  heaven  above  and  earth  beneath  does 
homage  to  the  Creator  and  Sovereign,  crying,  "  Glory 
to  God!" 

The  ascription  of  a  voice  to  Nature  is  distinctly 
poetic.  In  fact  nature  has  no  voice :  she  gives  forth 
only  inarticulate  sounds.    Yet  Bryant  rightly  says, 

"To  him  who,  in  the  love  of  Nature,  holds 
Communion  with  her  visible  forms,  she  speaks 
A  various  language." 


18  THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM 

In  like  manner  David  sings  in  a  spirit  of  rapt  ado- 
ration, 

"The  heavens  declare  the  glory  of  God, 
And  the  firmament  showeth  his  handiwork: 
Day  unto  day  uttereth  speech, 
And  night  unto  night  showeth  knowledge." 

This  thought  is  amplified  by  Addison  in  his  mystic 
hymn : 

"The  spacious  firmament  on  high, 
With  all  the  blue,  ethereal  sky, 
And  spangled  heavens,  a  shining  frame, 
Their  great  Original  proclaim. 
The  unwearied  sun,  from  day  to  day, 
Does  his  Creator's  powers  display, 
And  publishes  to  every  land 
The  work  of  an  almighty  hand. 

"  Soon  as  the  evening  shades  prevail 
The  moon  takes  up  the  wondrous  tale, 
And  nightly  to  the  listening  earth 
Repeats  the  story  of  her  birth ; 
Whilst  all  the  stars  that  round  her  burn, 
And  all  the  planets  in  their  turn, 
Confirm  the  tidings  as  they  roll, 
And  spread  the  truth  from  pole  to  pole. 

"What  though  in   solemn  silence  all 
Move  round  the  dark  terrestrial  ball? 
What  though  no  real  voice  nor  sound 
Amidst  their  radiant  orbs  be  found? 
In  reason's  ear  they  all  rejoice, 
And  utter  forth  a  glorious  voice, 
Forever  singing  as  they  shine, 
'The  Hand  that  made  us  is  divine !'" 


THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM  19 

In  like  manner  the  poet  Coleridge,  in  his  "  Hymn 
before  Sunrise  in  the  Vale  of  Chamonix,"  invokes  all 
Nature  to  awake  and  utter  praise : 

"Ye  ice  falls,  ye  that  from  the  mountain's  brow 
Adown  enormous  ravines  slope  amain ; 
Motionless  torrents,  silent  cataracts! 
Who  made  you  glorious  as  the  gates  of  heaven 
Beneath  the  keen  full  moon?    Who  bade  the  sun 
Clothe  you  with  rainbows?    Who,  with  living  flowers 
Of  loveliest  blue,  spread  garlands  at  your  feet? 
God!     Let  the  torrents  like  a  shout  of  nations 
Answer;  and  let  the  ice  plains  echo,  God! 
God !    Sing  ye  meadow  streams  with  gladsome  voice ! 
Ye  pine  groves,  with  your  soft  and  soul-like  sounds! 
And  they,  too,  have  a  voice,  yon  piles  of  snow, 
And  in  their  perilous  fall  shall  thunder  God ! " 

It  is  important,  however,  that  we  should  distinguish 
between  the  voice  of  nature  and  the  Voice  which  is 
beyond  nature  and  above  it.  In  these  days  there  is 
a  tendency  to  identify  God  with  his  creation,  which 
is  simple  pantheism,  and  pantheism  is  only  another 
name  for  atheism.  To  say  that  "  God  is  everything  " 
is  practically  to  say  that  God  is  nothing.  To  identify 
him  with  creation  is  to  affirm  that  the  elements  sweep 
by  like  a  godless  rabble  on  their  automatic  way.  This 
is  not  so.  "  He  sitteth  above  the  waters !  "  His  Voice 
is  over  them  all. 

In  one  of  John  Calvin's  sermons  he  says,  "  If  any 
one  who  wished  to  know  a  man  should  take  no  no- 
tice of  his  face  but  fix  his  eyes  only  on  the  points  of 
his  nails,  his  folly  would  justly  be  derided;  but  far 
greater  is  the  folly  of  those  philosophers  who  out  of 
mediate  and  proximate  causes  weave  for  themselves 


20  THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM 

veils,  lest  they  should  be  compelled  to  acknowledge 
the  hand  which  manifestly  displays  itself  in  the  works 
of  God." 

In  the  early  life  of  St.  Augustine,  led  away  by  his 
study  of  the  Greek  philosophies,  he  became  a  panthe- 
ist. But  he  was  unhappy  because  his  soul  was  at  sea. 
At  length,  unable  to  escape  from  the  memory  of  his 
mother's  prayers  and  finding  no  comfort  in  his  vain 
wanderings,  he  was  driven  to  his  knees.  In  his  "  Con- 
fessions "  he  tells  the  story  thus :  "  In  my  search  for 
God  I  asked  the  earth,  and  it  said  '  I  am  not  he/  I 
asked  the  sun  and  the  depths,  and  they  answered  '  We 
are  not  God :  look  above  and  beyond  us ! '  I  asked 
the  winds  and  the  tempests,  and  they  replied  '  No ! 
Anexamenes  is  wrong;  there  is  something  deeper 
yet ! '  I  asked  the  stars  of  heaven  and  they,  too,  said 
'  We  are  not  your  God.'  I  addressed  all  the  living 
things  that  surround  the  doors  of  my  fleshly  senses, 
'  Ye  have  said  that  ye  are  not  God ;  tell  me  somewhat 
about  him ' ;  and  with  a  great  voice  they  answered, 
with  one  accord,  '  He  made  us ! '  " 

The  distinction  we  are  making  between  God  and 
nature,  or  between  the  voice  of  the  tempest  and  the 
Voice  that  speaks  through  it,  is  important  by  reason 
of  certain  inferences  which  flow  from  it. 

The  first  of  these  inferences  is  Providence.  It 
clears  the  atmosphere  to  realize  that  the  world  we  are 
living  in  is  not  a  fortuitous  concourse  of  atoms,  an 
organism  without  an  organizer,  but  that  One  sitteth 
enthroned,  as  Law-giver  and  Executive,  sustaining  and 
controlling  all. 

God  rules  in  the  physical  world.  The  stars  of 
heaven  sweep  round  in  their  orbits  obedient  to  his 


THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM  21 

will.  He  rules  in  infinities  and  infinitesimals  alike. 
He  directs  the  wandering  of  the  minutest  vagrant  of 
earth  and  sea.  "  Who  provideth  for  the  raven  his 
food  ?  When  his  young  ones  wander  for  lack  of  meat, 
they  cry  unto  God." 

He  rales  in  history.  The  wars  of  nations  are  not 
beyond  his  ken ;  he  maketh  their  wrath  to  praise 
him.  It  is  impossible  to  read  history  aright  except 
as  one  is  able  to  read  Providence  between  the  lines. 
u  Come,  Philip,"  said  Luther  to  his  friend  Melancthon 
in  the  darkest  days  of  the  Reformation,  "  come,  let  us 
sing  the  forty-sixth  Psalm:  God  is  our  refuge  and 
strength,  a  very  present  help  in  trouble ;  therefore  will 
not  we  fear  though  the  earth  be  removed  and  though 
the  mountains  be  carried  into  the  midst  of  the  sea !  " 

He  rules  in  the  experience  of  individual  men.  If 
he  is  not  unmindful  of  the  lilies  of  the  field  and  the 
fowls  of  the  air,  how  much  more  shall  he  care  for 
you,  O  ye  of  little  faith  ?  "  A  blessed  a  fortiori  that ! 
"  How  much  more  shall  he  care  for  you !  "  The  voice 
in  the  storm  is,  therefore,  a  voice  of  comfort  and 
strength. 

"The  Lord  our  God  is  clothed  with  might; 

The  winds  obey  his  will. 
He  speaks  and,  in  his  heavenly  height, 

The  rolling  sun  stands  still. 
Rebel,  ye  waves,  and  o'er  the  land 

With  threatening  aspect  roar ; 
The  Lord  uplifts  his  awful  hand 

And  chains  you  to  the  shore! 
Howl  winds  of  night,  your  force  combine; 

Without  his  high  behest, 
Ye  shall  not,  in  the  mountain  pine, 

Disturb  the  sparrow's  nest. 


•2%  THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM 

His  voice  sublime  is  heard  afar ; 

In  distant  peals  it  dies ; 
He  yokes  the  whirlwind  to  his  car, 

And  sweeps  the  howling  skies! 
Ye  nations,  bend;  in  reverence  bend! 

Ye  monarchs,  wait  his  nod; 
And  bid  the  choral  song  ascend 

To  celebrate  our  God  !  " 


'A  second  inference  which  follows  from  the  con- 
templation of  the  Voice  above  the  Storm  is  the  doc- 
trine of  Grace. 

If  it  be  true  that  there  is  a  God  who  controls  the 
elements;  and  if  it  be  further  true  that  this  God  is 
our  Father;  then  it  follows  inevitably  that  he  would 
not  suffer  his  sinful  and  suffering  children  to  abide 
without  hope.  He  would  not  leave  us  adrift,  on  a 
rudderless  raft,  upon  a  boundless  sea.  Is  there  no 
eye  to  pity,  no  arm  to  save?  Is  there  no  relief  from 
"  this  certain  fearful  looking  for  Judgment "  ?  Is 
there  no  remedy  for  sin? 

The  Voice  in  the  storm  proclaims  him  the  Mighty 
to  save.  He  will  make  bare  his  arm  in  our  behalf. 
He  does  make  bare  his  arm!  Behold  it  on  Calvary! 
The  arm  of  the  Lord  is  there  made  bare,  as  when  a 
workman  rolls  back  his  sleeve  to  address  himself  to  a 
mighty  task.  The  Lord  thus  stretches  forth  his  omnip- 
otent hand  to  deliver  us. 

So  the  voice  of  Revelation  answers  to  the  Voice  in 
the  storm.  The  New  Testament  answers  to  the  Old. 
The  Gospel  responds  to  prophecy :  "  God  so  loved  the 
world  that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whoso- 
ever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have  ever- 
lasting life/* 


THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM  23 

Yes,  the  Voice  of  the  Lord  is  upon  the  waters ;  and 
behold,  he  comes  this  way.  He  walks  upon  the  bois- 
terous sea!  He  has  seen  us  toiling  hopelessly  at  the 
oars.  Alas,  that  any  should  fail  to  recognize  him. 
See  John  and  Peter  and  Andrew,  looking  into  each 
other's  faces  fearfully  and  whispering,  "  It  is  a  spec- 
tre !  "  He  speaks :  his  voice  is  the  same  that  David 
heard  above  the  thunders  of  Kadesh;  the  same  that 
Job  heard  out  of  the  whirlwind,  the  same  that  came  to 
Daniel  when  the  four  winds  of  heaven  strove  upon 
the  Great  Sea ;  "  Be  not  afraid ;  it  is  I !  " 

Wherefore  let  all  who  worship  in  his  temple  say 
"Glory!"  Let  them  rejoice,  because  this  God  is  the 
God  of  salvation. 

Open  your  ears,  O  men  and  women  toiling  at  the 
futile  oars  of  self-reliance  and  despairing  of  help! 
He  speaks ;  and  his  benediction  is  "  Peace  be  unto 
you."  See  that  ye  be  not  as  those  who,  when  he  spake 
through  the  open  heavens,  said,  "  Behold  it  thunder- 
eth!  "  The  sounds  of  nature  are  inarticulate;  but  the 
Voice  of  nature's  God  is  eloquent  of  hope  and  pardon 
and  eternal  life. 

And  here  is  the  joy  of  living.  To  him  who  can 
distinguish  between  the  sound  of  thunder  and  the  voice 
of  the  God  that  thundereth,  life  is  no  longer  a  vain 
battling  against  infinite  odds.  The  Almighty  has  come 
into  his  philosophy;  and  he  finds  himself  not  a  mere 
creature  of  circumstance,  but  a  beloved  and  cared-for 
child  of  God. 

So  ends  the  storm.  There  is  a  great  calm;  and 
the  Voice  that  was  heard  through  the  warring  ele- 
ments now  speaks  in  the  silence  of  the  trysting  place. 

It  is  recorded  of  Elijah  that,  when  his  soul  was 


24  THE  VOICE  IN  THE  STORM 

weary  amid  the  troubles  that  befell  him  in  the  evil 
reign  of  Ahab,  "  he  went  a  day's  journey  into  the  wil- 
derness and  sat  down  under  a  juniper  tree."  There 
the  weariness  of  life  overcame  him:  so  that  he  cried 
"  It  is  enough ;  O  Lord,  take  me !  "  Then  he  betook 
himself  to  a  cave ;  where  he  still  lamented,  "  I  have 
been  very  jealous  for  thee,  O  Lord:  and  they  have 
slain  thy  prophets  and  I  only  am  left.  Be  pleased  to 
take  me  !  "  He  went  forth  and  stood  before  the  cave  ; 
and  behold,  the  Lord  passed  by  and  a  mighty  wind 
arose  and  rent  the  mountains ;  but  the  Lord  was  not  in 
the  wind.  And  after  the  wind  there  came  an  earth- 
quake, so  that  the  ground  rocked  beneath  his  feet; 
but  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  earthquake.  And  after 
the  earthquake  there  was  a  fire;  so  that  the  forests 
were  crackling  all  about  him;  but  the  Lord  was  not 
in  the  fire.  And  after  the  fire,  a  still,  small  Voice. 
And  the  Voice  spoke  comfort  and  peace. 

The  Voice  of  the  storm  and  the  Voice  of  the  silence 
are  one.  God,  who  rules  above  the  convulsions  of 
Nature  and  the  confused  noise  of  nations  at  strife,  is 
the  same  God  who  bids  us  enter  into  the  secret  place 
of  his  pavilion  and  commune  with  him.  And  wher- 
ever he  speaks,  he  speaks  a  benediction. 

The  God  who  sitteth  above  the  waters  is  come 
near  to  us  in  the  person  of  Christ,  who  said  to  his 
disciples  in  the  upper  room,  "  Peace  I  leave  with  you, 
my  peace  I  give  unto  you;  not  as  the  world  giveth 
give  I  unto  you :  let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither 
let  it  be  afraid."  Thus,  to  one  who  reverently  hears 
and  heeds,  comes  the  peace  that  passeth  all  under- 
standing; peace  that  floweth  like  a  river  in  the  soul; 
"  peace  eternal,  sacred,  sure";  the  very  peace  of  God. 


Ill 

THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE 
(A  New  Year's  Sermon) 

"  I  to  the  hills  will  lift  mine  eyes, 

from  whence  doth  come  mine  aid. 
My  safety  cometh  from  the  Lord, 

who  heav'n  and  earth  hath  made. 
Thy  foot  he'll  not  let  slide,  nor  will 

he  slumber  that  thee  keeps. 
Behold,  he  that  keeps  Israel, 

he  slumbers  not,  nor  sleeps. 

The  Lord  thee  keeps ;  the  Lord  thy  shade 

on  thy  right  hand  doth  stay: 
The  moon  by  night  thee  shall  not  smite, 

nor  yet  the  sun  by  day. 
The  Lord  shall  keep  thy  soul;  he  shall 

preserve  thee  from  all  ill. 
Henceforth  thy  going  out  and  in 

God  keep  for  ever  will." 

Psalm  121:  (Old  Version). 

IT  is  a  mystery  to  me  why  so  many  people  want 
to  make  a  noise  on  New  Year's  eve  instead  of 
calmly  contemplating  the  past  and  girding  their 
loins  for  the  race  that  is  set  before  them. 

There  are  various  ways  of  "  seeing  the  old  year 
out."  One  is  that  of  the  revellers  who  betake  them- 
selves to  the  cabarets  and  dance-halls,  for  no  con- 
ceivable reason  unless  it  be  in  the  hope  of  drowning 
the  memory  of  the  mislived  past.     A  better  way  is 

25 


26  THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE 

that  of  our  Methodist  friends  who  keep  "  watch- 
night  "  in  their  churches.  They  spend  the  passing 
hours  in  prayer  and  thanksgiving  until  the  clock  strikes 
midnight,  when  all  unite  in  "  Wrestling  Jacob/'  that 
most  picturesque  of  Wesley's  hymns: 

"  Come,  O  thou  Traveller  unknown, 
Whom  still  I  hold,  but  cannot  see; 
My  company  before  is  gone, 
And  I  am  left  alone  with  thee ; 
With  thee  all  night  I  mean  to  stay, 
And  wrestle  till  the  break  of  day. 

"  I  need  not  tell  thee  who  I  am ; 
My  sin  and  misery  declare; 
Thyself  hast  called  me  by  my  name; 
Look  on  thy  hands,  and  read  it  there : 
But  who,  I  ask  thee,  who  art  thou? 
Tell  me  thy  name,  and  tell  me  now. 

"  I  know  thee,  Saviour,  who  thou  art, 
Jesus,  the  feeble  sinner's  Friend; 
Nor  wilt  thou  with  the  night  depart, 
But  stay  and  love  me  to  the  end : 
Thy  mercies  never  shall  remove, 
Thy  nature,  and  thy  name  is  Love." 

I  am  frank  to  say,  however,  that  I  did  not  "  watch 
the  old  year  out."  I  went  to  bed  as  usual,  but  I  could 
not  sleep;  the  anticipation  of  the  midnight  uproar  was 
on  my  nerves.  In  the  borderland  of  semi-conscious- 
ness I  seemed  to  see  a  man  sitting  before  an  open 
ledger,  his  face  greatly  troubled  because  the  record 
was  against  him.  Then  I  saw  a  Hand  reaching  over 
his  shoulder,  and  as  it  moved  across  the  page  it  left 
a  red  stain  which  obliterated  all  his  liabilities;  and 
a  Voice  said,  "  Son,  thy  sins  be  forgiven  thee !  "    The 


THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE  27 

man  looked  up  as  if  to  express  his  thanks;  but  just 
then  a  whistle  blew  and  bells  began  to  ring,  and  I 
awoke,  across  the  border  of  the  year.  Then  above  the 
noise  and  uproar  I  seemed  to  hear  a  great  congrega- 
tion singing  the  last  lines  of  Wrestling  Jacob: 

"Thy  mercies  never  shall  remove, 
Thy  nature,  and  thy  name  is  Love." 

It  has  been  my  usual  custom  to  select  some  portion 
of  Scripture  as  a  sort  of  oriflamme,  or  red-letter  epi- 
graph for  the  year.  The  choice  for  the  incoming  year 
is  the  One  hundred  and  twenty-first  Psalm. 

This  is  known  familiarly  as  "  The  Traveller's 
Psalm,"  and  will  therefore  be  appropriate.  For  what 
are  we  but  travellers  ?  Here  we  have  no  abiding  city  : 
we  are  strangers  and  sojourners,  looking  for  a  better 
country,  even  an  heavenly,  and  for  a  city  that  hath 
foundations  whose  builder  and  maker  is  God. 

"Gently,  Lord,  O  gently  lead  us, 
Pilgrims  in  this  vale  of  tears, 
Through  the  trials  yet  decreed  us, 
Till  our  last  great  change  appears : 
And  when  mortal  life  is  ended, 
Bid  us  in  thine  arms  to  rest, 
Till,  by  angels  bands  attended, 
We  awake  among  the  blest !  " 

In  the  superscription  of  this  Psalm  it  is  called  a 
"  Song  of  Degrees."  It  is  one  of  fifteen,  from  CXX  to 
CXXXIV  inclusive,  which  were  so  called  probably 
because  they  were  sung  by  pilgrims  on  their  way  to 
the  annual  feasts  at  Jerusalem.  On  such  occasions  the 
roads  were  thronged  with  travellers  from  every  part 


28  THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE 

of  Jewry.  This  particular  Psalm  was  sung  in  all 
probability  when  they  caught  sight  of  the  Sacred  City, 
"  beautiful  for  situation,  the  joy  of  the  whole  earth." 
How  grateful  to  the  eyes  of  the  travel-worn  pilgrims 
was  the  dome  of  the  Temple,  which  to  them  was  the 
ancestral  centre  of  the  worship  of  the  true  God. 

The  Psalm  is  constructed  on  a  perfect  rhythmical 
plan.  It  consists  of  four  stanzas  or  strophes,  in  which 
are  set  forth  the  three  incommunicable  attributes  of 
God ;  and  these  are  finally  summed  up  in  his  provi- 
dence, or  constant  care. 

The  first  stanza  celebrates  the  divine  Omnipotence. 
/  will  lift  up  mine  eyes  unto  the  hills,  from  whence 
cometh  my  help.  My  help  cometh  from  the  Lord,  which 
made  heaven  and  earth. 

You  may  think  it  makes  little  difference,  so  far  as 
practical  piety  is  concerned,  whether  the  world  came 
to  pass  by  the  calm  process  of  natural  law  or  by  a 
creative  fiat. 

It  made  a  great  difference  to  Job,  however,  when,  in 
the  midst  of  suffering  which  was  due  in  large  measure 
to  self-will  and  intellectual  pride,  he  was  rebuked  by 
the  Voice  out  of  the  whirlwind  saying,  "  Who  is  this 
that  darkeneth  counsel  by  words  without  knowledge? 
Gird  up  thy  loins  now  like  a  man;  for  I  will  demand 
of  thee,  and  answer  thou  me.  Where  wast  thou  when 
I  laid  the  foundations  of  the  earth,  when  the  morning 
stars  sang  together  and  all  the  sons  of  God  shouted  for 
joy?" 

It  made  a  great  difference  to  Moses,  also,  when  he 
climbed  the  steeps  of  Nebo  singing  his  farewell  song: 
"  Lord,  thou  hast  been  our  dwelling  place  in  all  gen- 
erations.   Before  these  mountains  were  brought  forth, 


THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE  29 

or  ever  thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world, 
even  from  everlasting  to  everlasting  thou  art  God !  " 

And  it  makes  a  great  difference  to  all  who  are  trust- 
ing in  Christ  for  their  salvation ;  since  the  Maker  of 
heaven  and  earth  is  also  the  Saviour  of  men.  He  who 
sat  upon  the  circle  of  the  universe  and  called  into 
existence  things  that  are  out  of  those  that  were  not  is 
none  other  than  Christ,  as  it  is  written :  "  All  things 
were  made  by  him,  and  without  him  was  not  anything 
made  that  was  made."  He  who  created  is  mighty  to 
save !  Nothing  is  too  hard  for  him.  He  is  able  to 
save,  even  unto  the  uttermost,  all  that  come  unto  him. 

The  second  stanza  sets  forth  the  divine  Omniscience. 
He  will  not  suffer  thy  foot  to  be  moved;  he  that  keep- 
eth  thee  will  not  slumber.  Behold,  he  that  keepeth 
Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep. 

A  sentinel  may  sleep  at  his  post  as  the  enemy  draws 
near:  a  pilot  may  sleep  at  the  wheel  as  the  vessel 
speeds  toward  the  reef;  a  weary  mother  may  sleep 
with  an  ailing  infant  in  her  arms ;  but  he  that  keepeth 
Israel  shall  neither  slumber  nor  sleep.  "  Hast  thou 
not  known;  hast  thou  not  heard,  that  the  everlasting 
God,  the  Creator  of  the  ends  of  the  earth,  fainteth 
not  neither  is  weary?  "  There  is  no  searching  of  his 
understanding." 

Ours  is  the  God  of  the  ever-open  eyes.  O  those 
eyes  of  the  Lord,  that  "  run  to  and  fro  through  all  the 
earth  to  behold  the  evil  and  the  good ! "  Are  we 
afraid  of  them? 

When  Lafayette  was  a  prisoner,  during  the  Revo- 
lutionary War,  he  was  distressed  beyond  measure  by 
the  fact  that  a  guard  was  continually  watching  him 
through  an  aperture  in  the  door  of  his  cell.     But 


30  THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE 

those  were  the  eyes  of  an  enemy.  Well  may  the 
Omniscience  of  God  be  terrible  to  those  who  are  not 
on  friendly  terms  with  him. 

But  to  those  who  love  him  his  unceasing  watch- 
fulness must  be  a  source  of  unspeakable  joy.  The 
bond-woman  who  fled  from  oppression  in  Abraham's 
tent  and  betook  herself  to  the  wilderness  was  bowed 
down  in  utter  loneliness  and  desolation  until  the  Angel 
of  the  Covenant  spoke  to  her.  Then,  filled  with  won- 
der and  gratitude,  she  called  the  name  of  the  place 
Beer-lahai-roi,  that  is,  "  Thou  God  seest  me." 

The  third  stanza  celebrates  the  divine  Omnipres- 
ence. The  Lord  is  thy  keeper;  the  Lord  is  thy  shade 
upon  thy  right  hand.  The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by 
day  nor  the  moon  by  night. 

If  the  Lord  is  our  keeper,  who  shall  harm  us?  The 
donjon  of  the  castle  is  called  "  the  keep/'  because  it  is 
a  safe  retreat.  How  much  safer  is  the  fortress  of  the 
divine  presence ;  for  as  the  mountains  are  round  about 
Jerusalem,  so  is  the  Lord  around  about  them  that  fear 
him. 

To  those  who  are  at  odds  with  the  Father  it  is  a 
dreadful  thought  that  he  is  "  never  far  from  any  one 
of  us."  It  was  under  the  sense  of  flagrant  sin  that 
David  cried,  "  Whither  shall  I  go  from  thy  Spirit,  or 
whither  shall  I  flee  from  thy  presence?  If  I  ascend 
up  into  heaven,  thou  art  there.  If  I  make  my  bed  in 
hell,  behold,  thou  art  there.  If  I  take  the  wings  of  the 
morning  and  dwell  in  the  uttermost  part  of  the  sea, 
even  there  shall  thy  hand  lead  me  and  thy  right  hand 
shall  hold  me.  If  I  say  surely  the  darkness  shall  cover 
me,  even  the  night  shall  be  light  about  me.  Yea,  the 
darkness  hideth  not  from  thee;  but  the  night  shineth 


THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE  81 

as  the  day.    The  darkness  and  the  light  are  both  alike 
to  thee!" 

So  it  was  with  Jacob,  when,  fleeing  from  the  spectre 
of  an  unforgiven  sin,  he  dreamed  the  golden  ladder 
and  awaking  cried,  "  Verily,  the  Lord  is  in  this  place, 
and  I  knew  it  not !  /^  But  many  a  man,  under  like  cir- 
cumstances, finding  comfort  beyond  words  in  the 
thought  of  the  divine  Presence,  has  resumed  his  jour- 
ney with  the  song, 

"Though  like  a  wanderer, 

The  sun  gone  down, 
Darkness  be  over  me, 

My  rest  a  stone; 
Yet  in  my  dreams  I'd  be 

Nearer,  my  God  to  thee, 
Nearer  to  thee." 

In  the  fourth  stanza  the  divine  Omnipotence, 
Omniscience  and  Omnipresence  are  all  summed  up  in 
Providence.  The  Lord  shall  preserve  thee  from  all 
evil:  he  shall  preserve  thy  soul.  The  Lord  shall 
preserve  thy  going  out  and  thy  coming  in  from  this 
time  forth,  and  even  for  evermore. 

Our  life  is  made  up  of  goings  out  and  comings  in. 
It  begins  with  a  coming  in  and  ends  with  a  going  out ; 
and  all  between  is  naught  but  going  out  in  the  morning 
and  coming  in  at  nightfall.  And  during  this  monoto- 
nous round  we  are  ever  under  the  watchcare  of  the 
11  Divinity  that  shapes  our  ends." 

The  man  in  "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  who  started  out 
from  the  City  of  Destruction,  was  never  without  a 
Voice  to  direct  him.  In  the  Valley  of  Humiliation, 
climbing  the  Hill  Difficulty,  passing  through  Vanity 


32  THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE 

Fair,  crossing  the  Enchanted  Ground,  and  onward  to 
the  Delectable  Mountains  and  the  Land  of  Beulah,  his 
Guide  was  always  with  him.  As  he  forded  the  deep 
river  and  came  in  view  of  the  Celestial  City  the  gates 
rolled  back,  and,  amid  the  ringing  of  the  city's  bells, 
he  passed  in  to  behold  the  King  in  his  beauty. 

O  blessed  Providence  that  never  forsakes  us !  O 
wonderful  promise,  "Lo,  I  am  with  you  alway,  even 
unto  the  end !  " 

"  I  have  a  friend  so  precious 
So  very  dear  to  me; 
He  loves  me  with  such  tender  love, 
Loves  me  so  faithfully; 
I  could  not  live  apart  from  him ; 
I  long  to  feel  him  nigh; 
And  so  we  dwell  together, 
My  Lord  and  I." 

So  shall  this  Song  of  Degrees  be  a  strong  staff  to 
lean  upon  in  this  New  Year.  As  it  is  written :  "  Com- 
mit thy  ways  unto  the  Lord ;  trust  in  him  and  he  shall 
bring  it  to  pass." 

What  shall  he  "  bring  to  pass  ?  "  Every  dream  of 
conquest  over  sin ;  every  hope  of  salvation  "  worked 
out"  into  character  and  usefulness;  every  aspiration 
toward  a  holy  life;  every  ambition  to  make  our  ener- 
gies tell  for  the  glory  of  God.  Has  he  not  promised 
that  all  things  shall  work  together  for  good  to  them 
that  love  him? 

Who  shall  say  what  the  future  has  in  store  for  us? 
"  I  know  not  what  awaits  me ;  God  kindly  veils  mine 
eyes."  Thanks  for  my  blindness!  To-morrow  is  in 
better  hands  than  mine. 


THE  TRAVELLER'S  GUIDE  33 

"  So  on  I  go,  not  knowing : 
I  would  not  if  I  might. 
I'd  rather  walk  in  the  dark  with  him 
Than  go  alone  in  the  light; 
I'd  rather  walk  by  faith  in  him 
Than  go  alone  by  sight." 

The  Omnipotent  is  able  to  care  for  me.  The  Omnis- 
cient knows  my  every  need.  The  Omnipresent  will 
"  never,  no  never,  no  never  forsake  me." 

"  I  know  not  where  His  islands  lift 
Their  fronded  palms  in  air; 
I  only  know  I  cannot  drift 
Beyond  His  love  and  care." 

So  do  I  fare  forth  into  the  New  Year,  like  an  ex- 
plorer crossing  the  border  of  an  unknown  land.  No 
one  has  ever  before  been  this  way.  Therefore,  I  must 
needs  walk  by  faith,  hand  in  hand  with  him. 

One  thing  I  know,  beyond  all  doubt  and  peradven- 
ture :  "  I  know  whom  I  have  believed,  and  am  per- 
suaded that  he  is  able  to  keep  that  which  I  have 
committed  unto  him  against  that  day." 


IV 

THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION 

"I  was  glad  when  they  said  unto  me, 
Let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord. 
Our  feet  shall  stand  within  thy  gates,  O  Jerusalem. 
Jerusalem   is  builded  as  a  city  that  is  compact 
together : 
Whither  the  tribes  go  up,  the  tribes  of  the  Lord, 
Unto  the  testimony  of  Israel,  to  give  thanks  unto 

the  name  of  the  Lord. 
For  there  are  set  thrones  of  judgment, 
The  thrones  of  the  house  of  David. 
Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem: 
N  They  shall  prosper  that  love  thee. 

Peace  be  within  thy  walls, 

And  prosperity  within  thy  palaces. 
For  my  brethren  and  companions'  sakes, 
I  will  now  say,  Peace  be  within  thee. 
Because  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  our  God, 
I  will  seek  thy  good." 

Psalm  122. 

WE  act,  as  a  rule,  without  conscious  motives. 
Habit  is  second  nature.  We  work,  and  play, 
and  eat  and  sleep  as  a  matter  of  course. 
We  are  wound  up  at  night  like  a  music  box,  and  in 
the  morning  we  proceed  to  play  the  tunes  set  for  us. 
When  the  Sabbath  comes  (If  we  have  any;  for,  alas, 
there  are  people  to  whom  a  real  Sabbath  never  comes) 
we  put  on  a  -different  habit  with  our  Sunday  clothes. 
The  bell  rings  and  we  go  to  church,  as  a  horse  goes  to 

34 


THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION  35 

the  manger  after  his  work  in  the  tread-mill,  because  it 
is  a  part  of  the  routine  of  life.  But  if  church  attend- 
ance is  worth  while  we  ought  to  be  able  to  give  a 
reason  for  it. 

The  man  who  wrote  the  122nd  Psalm  was  a  church- 
goer. It  would  appear  that  when  he  heard  the  footfall 
of  a  company  bound  for  Zion  he  listened  to  their  in- 
vitation, "  Let  us  go  into  the  house  of  the  Lord  "  and 
joyously  accepted  it.  And,  on  thinking  the  matter 
over,  he  was  able  to  give  five  reasons  for  doing  so. 

His  first  reason  was  that  it  was  "  the  House  of  the 
Lord " :  as  it  is  written,  "  The  Lord  is  in  his  holy 
Temple ;  let  all  the  earth  keep  silence  before  him." 

The  Ark  of  the  Covenant  was  in  the  Temple;  and 
this  was  the  historic  symbol  of  the  presence  of  God. 
He  had  promised,  "  I  will  meet  with  thee  and  com- 
mune with  thee  from  above  the  mercy  seat,  from  be- 
tween the  wings  of  the  cherubims  which  are  upon  the 
ark."  A  further  assurance  of  his  presence  was  given 
in  the  mysterious  cloud,  called  "  the  Shekinah,"  which 
hovered  over  the  sacred  place. 

I  am  aware  of  the  saying  "  all  ground  is  holy 
ground  " ;  which  is  true ;  but  some  ground  is  holier 
than  other  ground.  The  Greeks,  though  pagans,  were 
aware  of  this.  When  they  were  about  to  erect  a 
temple  the  priest  drew  a  circle  around  a  certain  space 
and  set  it  apart :  hence  the  word  "  Temple,"  which  is 
derived  from  temno,  meaning  to  "  cut  off."  The  space 
thus  enclosed  was  secluded  and  separated  from  all  the 
rest  of  the  world  for  sacred  uses. 

It  has  pleased  God  to  promise  a  peculiar  manifesta- 
tion of  his  presence  in  places  set  apart  for  his  wor- 
ship.   He  is  omnipresent,  to  be  sure,  and  therefore  we 


36  THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION 

can  find  him  anywhere;  but  never  so  near,  never  so 
approachable,  never  so  easily  entreated  as  at  the  mercy 
seat  in  the  trysting  place. 

In  the  desert  of  Midian  there  was  one  spot  which, 
by  reason  of  its  associations,  was  more  sacred  to 
Moses  than  any  other:  it  was  the  place  where  he  saw 
the  acacia  bush  "  aflame  with  God."  He  said,  "  I  will 
turn  aside  and  see  " :  but  out  of  the  bush  a  Voice 
admonished  him ;  "  Take  off  thy  shoes  from  off  thy 
feet;  for  the  ground  whereon  thou  standest  is  holy 
ground  " ;  and  as  he  stood  with  face  bowed  upon  his 
breast  he  received  his  great  commission,  "  I  am  that  I 
am  hath  sent  me  unto  you !  " 

On  the  heights  of  Luz  there  was  a  spot  more  sa- 
cred to  Jacob  than  any  other.  It  was  where  he  lay 
down  at  nightfall, — a  lonely  man  and  God  forsaken  as 
he  thought — and  saw  in  a  vision  the  ladder  of  light 
with  angels  going  up  and  coming  down  to  assure  him 
that  God  remembered  him.  "  Verily,  the  Lord  is  in 
this  place,"  he  said ;  "  this  is  none  other  than  the  gate 
of  heaven."  And  he  called  it  Bethel,  that  is,  "  the 
house  of  God." 

The  second  reason  given  by  the  Psalmist  for  church 
attendance  is  "  Thither  the  tribes  go  up." 

The  twelve  tribes  were  usually  at  odds  with  one  an- 
other, for  obvious  reasons ;  but  when  the  Levites  blew 
the  ramshorns  on  the  heights  to  summon  them  to  the 
solemn  assemblies,  they  forgot  their  differences  and 
came  together  as  to  a  great  gathering  of  the  clans. 

At  the  time  of  the  annual  festivals  the  thoroughfares 
were  thronged  with  multitudes  on  their  way  to  Jeru- 
salem to  worship.  They  came  from  every  direction : 
Asshur  from  the  northwest,  with  the  sheaf  upon  his 


THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION  37 

banner;  Benjamin  from  beyond  the  Cedron;  Dan  from 
the  head  waters  of  the  Jordan ;  Ephraim  waving  his 
standard,  whereon  were  the  horns  of  a  unicorn;  Gad 
from  the  fords  of  Jericho;  Zebulon  from  the  lake 
region ;  and  Napthali,  "  the  hind  let  loose."  All 
marched  under  their  own  peculiar  standards;  but  as 
they  neared  the  Holy  City  they  folded  their  banners 
and  bowed  together  in  worship  of  a  common  God. 

It  is  an  uplifting  thought  that,  as  we  sit  together  in 
this  sanctuary,  there  are  millions  on  millions,  the  world 
over,  of  many  tongues  and  nations,  assembled  in 
churches  and  cathedrals,  in  meeting  houses  on  the  re- 
mote frontiers,  in  conventicles  among  the  hills,  under 
banyan  trees  in  "  the  regions  beyond,"  all  lifting  up 
holy  hands  with  their  hearts  to  the  same  God  whom 
we  worship  and  rejoicing  in  the  salvation  which  has 
come  to  us  through  the  atoning  grace  of  his  beloved 
Son. 

The  poor  and  the  rich  thus  meet  together  and  ac- 
knowledge the  Lord  as  the  Maker  of  them  all.  Two 
shibboleths  are  theirs,  "  Father  "  and  "  brethren  " ;  for 
there  is  one  God  and  Father  of  all. 

"Blest  be  the  tie  that  binds 
Our  hearts  in  Christian  love ! " 

The  third  reason  given  by  this  man  for  going  to 
church  is  that  the  "  Testimony  of  the  Lord"  is  there: 
a  clear  reference  to  the  Oracles,  or  Word  of  God. 

A  place  in  the  side  of  the  Ark  was  set  apart  for  the 
preservation  of  the  parchments  which  were  written 
from  time  to  time  by  holy  men  as  they  were  moved 
by  the  Spirit  of  God.  The  original  nucleus  of  the 
sacred  volume  thus  formed  was  the  Protevangel  or 


38  THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION 

primal  prophecy  of  Messiah,  "  The  Seed  of  woman 
shall  bruise  the  serpent's  head."  To  this  were  added 
in  the  process  of  time  the  Law,  the  Annals  and  the 
Prophets  together  with  the  Psalter,  which  was  the 
inspired  Hymn  Book  of  the  Jews.  These  constituted 
"  The  Testimony  of  the  Lord,"  to  which  were  referred 
all  questions  pertaining  to  national  and  spiritual  life. 

On  the  Sabbath  it  was  customary  for  the  Priest  to 
read  a  portion  of  this  Testimony  and  expound  it  as 
the  lesson  of  the  day.  This  exposition  was  the 
sermon. 

We  are  accustomed  to  speak  of  "expository  ser- 
mons " :  but  in  fact  there  is  no  true  sermon  which  is 
not  expository.  The  man  who  shoves  his  Bible  aside 
and  assumes  to  speak  by  personal  authority,  as  if  to 
say,  "  I  am  Sir  Oracle  and  when  I  ope  my  lips  let  no 
dog  bark  "  is  out  of  place  in  the  pulpit. 

The  reason  why  the  people  come  to  church  is  be- 
cause they  are  troubled  with  doubts  and  questionings 
for  which  there  is  no  solution  except  in  the  Word  of 
God.  They  care  nothing  for  the  personal  opinion  of  a 
man  whose  breath  is  in  his  nostrils;  but  they  are 
profoundly  concerned  to  know  what  God  has  to  say 
about  the  great  verities.  Wherefore  it  behooves  all 
preachers  to  hide  themselves  behind  the  Testimony 
and  give  forth  a  clear  utterance  as  to  the  divine  will. 

The  fourth  reason  given  by  the  Psalmist  for  going 
to  Zion  is  that  "  the  Thrones  of  David  are  there." 

The  use  of  this  plural  "  thrones  "  is  significant.  In- 
asmuch as  David  had  but  a  single  throne  it  is  obvious 
that  the  reference  is  to  his  dynasty.  As  for  himself 
he  had  no  hereditary  title  to  any  throne.  God  "  took 
him  from  the  sheep  cote,  from  following  the  sheep,  to 


THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION  39 

be  ruler  over  his  people  " ;  and  in  so  doing  he  entered 
into  a  perpetual  covenant  with  him  saying,  "  I  will 
establish  the  throne  of  thy  Kingdom  forever."  In 
other  words,  he  was  to  rule  by  a  perpetual  succession 
until  the  coming  of  Shiloh,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  of 
whose  dominion  there  should  be  no  end.  This  was 
"great  David's  greater  Son." 

On  the  triumphal  entry  of  Jesus  into  Jerusalem  he 
was  welcomed  with  the  cry,  "  Hosanna !  Hosanna  to 
the  Son  of  David !  "  The  hope  of  the  coming  of  this 
Messiah  was  called  "  the  hope  of  Israel " ;  and  back 
of  all  other  motives  this  was  what  drew  the  people  to 
the  Temple,  whether  they  knew  it  or  not. 

It  is  for  a  like  reason  that  people  go  to  church  in 
these  days.  The  deepest  longing  of  the  average  man  is 
not  for  any  of  the  adventitious  attractions  which  are 
frequently  held  out.  At  the  back  of  his  mind  and  at 
the  centre  of  his  heart  is  a  desire  to  solve  the  problem 
of  eternal  life.  "  Is  there  a  way  to  escape  from  the 
shame  and  power  and  penalty  of  sin?" 

The  only  answer  to  that  question  is  Christ  and  him 
crucified.  He  said,  "  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  will  draw 
all  men  unto  me."  What  need  of  other  attractions  if 
the  great  Magnet  be  lifted  up? 

Oh,  that  all  ministers  might  stand  closer  to  Calvary, 
the  throne  of  David's  Son !  For  he  will  draw  the 
people,  and  will  keep  on  drawing  until  every  knee  shall 
bow  before  him. 

The  fifth  reason  given  by  this  man  for  going  to 
church  is  that  the  secret  of  prosperity  is  there.  "  They 
shall  prosper  that  love  thee." 

Who  is  the  prosperous  man?  Is  it  the  man  who  is 
arrayed  in  purple  and  fine  linen  and  fares  sumptu- 


40  THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION 

ously  every  day?  Is  it  one  whose  vaults  are  rilled 
with  bonds  and  mortgages  ?  Is  it  one  who  has  attained 
to  such  high  honours  and  emoluments  that  all  bonnets 
are  doffed  when  he  goes  by? 

The  span  of  our  present  life  is  but  the  small  arc  of 
an  infinite  circle.  How  then  shall  we  measure  pros- 
perity by  earthly  possessions,  all  of  which  shall  pres- 
ently take  wings  and  fly  away? 

The  only  prosperous  man  is  he  who  is  safeguarded 
for  eternity ;  who  has  his  treasures  laid  up  in  bags 
that  wax  not  old ;  who  is  rich  in  possessions  which  the 
world  can  neither  give  nor  take  away.  He  alone  is 
prosperous  who  is  thus  "  rich  toward  God."  For  him 
the  mislived  past  is  blotted  out,  purged  by  the  blood 
that  cleanseth  from  all  sin;  and  the  future  is  spanned 
by  a  rainbow  of  hope.  He  has  peace  with  God,  power 
for  service,  and  the  prospect  of  eternal  life. 

These  are  the  things  that  make  prosperity:  and 
these  are  the  goings  out  of  Zion.  The  people  who 
devoutly  assemble  there  are  not  living  within  the 
narrow  circumscription  of  time  but,  stimulated  by  the 
joyous  hope  of  life  and  immortality  brought  to  light 
in  the  Gospel,  they  seek  a  better  country,  even  an 
heavenly,  and  a  city  which  hath  foundations  whose 
builder  and  maker  is  God. 

To  a  casual  observer  the  people  who  frequent  our 
churches  are  not  more  prosperous  than  others. 

This  was  observed  by  Celsus,  the  great  satirist  who 
in  the  second  century  assailed  the  church  as  an  assem- 
bly of  reprobates.  He  said,  "  I  have  seen  in  your 
conferences  some  who  are  recognized  as  former  drabs 
and  drunkards  and  thieves.  You  have  none  of  the 
richer  and  more  learned  class.    Your  Master  himself 


THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION  41 

who  was  a  humble  carpenter,  is  in  evidence  as  to  the 
character  of  his  followers,  inasmuch  as  he  said,  '  I 
am  come  not  to  call  the  righteous  but  sinners.'  " 

He  was  answered  by  Origen  on  this  wise,  "  You 
are  right  in  saying  that  our  Lord  came  not  to  call 
the  righteous  but  sinners;  but  you  are  unfair  when 
you  pause  there.  His  words  were,  '  I  am  come  to 
call  not  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  repentance.'  The 
former  profligates  whom  you  have  seen  in  our  assem- 
blies were  taken  by  our  Master  out  of  the  very  gutters 
and  transformed  into  newness  of  life.  He  called  them 
to  contrition  and  reformation;  and  their  consistent 
walk  and  conversation  bear  witness  to  his  saving 
power/' 

This  is  the  glory  of  the  Gospel,  that  it  goes  out  into 
the  highways  and  hedges  in  quest  of  lost  sinners  and 
sets  them  on  their  feet,  with  the  past  forgiven  and 
the  future  glorified,  with  hearts  full  of  peace  and  faces 
toward  the  sky.  This  is  the  sort  of  prosperity  that,  as 
Alexander  Pope  said,  makes  the  Christian  "  the  high- 
est style  of  man." 

I  have  recited  the  reasons  given  by  the  author  of  the 
1 22nd  Psalm  for  honouring  the  sanctuary  service;  but 
there  is  another  reason  for  our  going  to  church  in 
these  days.  We  have  the  advantage  of  some  thou- 
sands of  years  of  intervening  history  which  empha- 
size the  fact  that  the  Church  is  the  pozver  house  of 
God. 

Out  of  it  have  gone  forth  the  great  forces  which  have 
made  for  progress  and  universal  betterment.  The  light 
of  civilization  has  radiated  so  far  forth  from  the 
Church  of  Christ  that  the  whole  civilized  world  is 
called  by  his  name.     Draw  a  line  around  "  Christen- 


42  THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION 

dom  "  and  you  have  practically  excluded  all  darkness 
and  included  all  light;  you  have  excluded  ignorance 
and  included  all  institutions  of  learning;  you  have  ex- 
cluded barbarism  and  included  humanity.  That  is  to 
say,  the  great  dynamic  of  progress  has  its  seat  and 
centre  in  the  house  of  God. 

If  this  be  called  in  question,  let  those  who  are  not 
habitual  church-goers  be  asked  whether  they  would  be 
willing  to  dispense  with  the  church :  and  with  one  con- 
sent they  would  answer  no.  A  churchless  city,  a 
churchless  community,  a  churchless  country  would  be 
a  hissing  and  a  byword.  However  a  man  may  hold 
himself  aloof  from  the  sanctuary  he  knows  that  he 
shares  its  by-products;  that  he  eats  of  its  clusters  as 
of  a  vine  growing  over  the  wall. 

It  is  a  true  saying,  "  Blessings  brighten  as  they  take 
their  flight." 

If  you  were  ever  a  wanderer  in  some  far  country 
where  there  were  no  spires  pointing  like  figures  toward 
heaven,  you  know  how  to  sympathize  with  the  exiled 
Jews  in  their  Babylonian  song  "  We  hanged  our  harps 
on  the  willows  and  wrept  when  we  remembered  Zion." 

Do  you  recall  how  the  Ancient  Mariner,  returned 
from  his  weary  wanderings,  on  hearing  the  bells  ring- 
ing for  a  wedding  at  the  church,  intercepted  one  of  the 
guests  to  say, 

"  O  wedding  guest,  my  soul  hath  been 
Alone  on  a  wide,  wide  sea ; 
So  lonely  'twas  that  God  himself 
Scarce   seemed   there  to  be?" 

And  that  the  lesson  of  his  lonely  isolation  had  come 
home  to  him  is  evidenced  by  his  adding, 


THE  TRUMPETS  OF  ZION  43 

"  Oh  sweeter  than  the  marriage  feast 
Tis  sweeter  far  to  me, 
To  walk  together  to  the  kirk 
With  the  goodly  company." 

It  may  be  that  there  is  some  one  present,  not  an  at- 
tendant at  the  sanctuary,  who  has  simply  happened  in, 
perhaps  in  the  hope  of  whiling  away  a  weary  hour.  If 
so,  my  friend,  I  trust  I  have  given  you  some  concep- 
tion of  the  real  value  of  the  privileges  of  Zion.  But 
in  any  case,  I  do  not  intend  to  part  company  with  you 
until  I  have  advised  you  as  to  the  latest  news  from  the 
front.  I  do  not  mean  the  last  advices  from  "  some- 
where in  Flanders,"  but  news  of  peace,  the  peace  of 
God  that  passeth  all  understanding,  the  peace  that 
Christ  alone  can  give  by  reconciling  us  with  God. 

This  is  the  last  thing  out ;  "  God  so  loved  the  world 
that  he  gave  his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever 
believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  have  everlast- 
ing life." 

This  is  the  message  which  the  Church  must  ever 
proclaim ;  as  it  is  written,  "  The  Spirit  and  the  bride 
say  Come ;  and  let  him  that  heareth  say  Come ;  and  let 
him  that  is  athirst  come;  and  whosoever  will  let  him 
take  of  the  water  of  life  freely." 

This  water  of  life  is  to  be  had  for  the  taking.  Will 
you  take  it? 


V 

THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE 

"Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtile  than  any  beast  of  the 
field  which  the  Lord  God  had  made.  And  he  said  unto  the 
woman,  Yea,  hath  God  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  every  tree 
of  the  garden? 

And  the  woman  said  unto  the  serpent,  We  may  eat  of  the 
fruit  of  the  trees  of  the  garden: 

But  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
garden,  God  hath  said,  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  it,  neither  shall 
ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die. 

And  the  serpent  said  unto  the  woman,  Ye  shall  not  surely 
die: 

For  God  doth  know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then 
your  eyes  shall  be  opened;  and  ye  shall  be  as  gods,  knowing 
good  and  evil. 

And  when  the  woman  saw  that  the  tree  was  good  for  food, 
and  that  it  was  pleasant  to  the  eyes,  and  a  tree  to  be  desired 
to  make  one  wise,  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,  and  did  eat, 
and  gave  also  unto  her  husband  with  her ;  and  he  did  eat." — 
Genesis  3 : 1-6. 

WE  call  Genesis  "  the  Book  of  Origins  "  be- 
cause it  gives  an  account  of  the  beginning 
of  the  world  and  the  present  order  of  things. 
In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heavens  and  the 
earth,   land   and   sea,   organic   and   inorganic  matter, 
trees  and  herbs,  birds  and  beasts  and  fishes  of  the  sea : 
and  man  his  masterpiece  to  have  dominion  over  all. 
He  also  set  in  operation  the  forces  and  principles 
44 


THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE  45 

which  were  to  develop  the  institutions  of  domestic, 
industrial  and  civil  life. 

It  would  be  singular,  under  these  circumstances,  if 
no  account  were  given  of  the  origin  of  sin. 

For  sin  is  an  omnipresent  and  inescapable  fact.  The 
question  is,  "  Whence  came  it?  "  Obviously  it  did  not 
simply  happen  to  be.  It  is  here;  and  it  has  no  busi- 
ness here.  It  is  an  exotic;  not  to  be  regarded  in  any 
sense  as  an  essential  or  necessary  part  of  human  ex- 
perience. We  would  all  be  infinitely  better  off  without 
it.    But  here  it  is ;  how  are  we  to  account  for  it  ? 

At  this  point  the  scientists  are  dumb.  They  have 
undertaken  to  explain  pretty  much  everything  else; 
but  so  far  as  I  am  aware  they  have  not  successfully 
tried  their  hand  on  sin. 

It  is  only  reasonable  to  suggest  that  the  Biblical 
record  should  remain  until  some  other  and  better  view 
is  proposed  wherewith  to  supplant  it. 

In  some  quarters  the  Biblical  story  of  the  Fall  is 
characterized  as  "  a  myth."  It  is  my  present  purpose 
to  carefully  consider  and  analyze  this  alleged  myth. 
What  are  its  essential  parts  ? 

The  first  item  in  the  narrative  is  Man. 

The  best  definition  of  man  as  originally  created  is 
found  in  the  word  anthropos  by  which  the  Greeks 
characterized  him.  It  literally  means  "  the  uplooker." 
He  was  made  erect,  with  his  face  toward  the  throne 
of  God.  In  other  words  he  was  a  rational  being  not 
only  able  to  think  but,  as  Kepler  said,  "to  think  God's 
thoughts  after  him/'  In  this  he  was  differentiated 
from  all  the  lower  orders  of  life. 

But  this  superiority  over  the  lower  orders  goes 
deeper  still;  it  ranks  him  not  simply  as  a  rational, 


46  THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE 

but  as  a  moral  being,  that  is,  capable  of  character. 
Having  been  created  in  the  likeness  of  God  it  is  obvi- 
ous that  he  was  intended  to  be  like  God.  "  Be  ye  holy, 
saith  the  Lord;  for  I  am  holy." 

As  yet,  however,  he  was  not  holy  but  merely  inno- 
cent ;  that  is  to  say,  free  from  actual  sin.  The  capacity 
for  holiness  was  there  but  it  remained  for  him  to 
realize  it.  That,  however,  would  be  clearly  impossible 
unless  he  were  not  only  rational  and  moral  but  free. 

I  cannot  conceive  how  God  could  have  created  man 
without  a  sovereign  will.  In  that  case,  having  no 
power  of  choice,  he  would  have  been  simply  a  lay 
figure.  His  untried  innocency  was  like  that  of  a 
block  of  marble  which  has  no  stain  upon  it. 

In  order  to  attain  "  unto  the  measure  of  the  fulness 
of  the  stature  of  a  man  "  he  must  work  out  character 
for  himself;  and  the  power  of  choice  between  good 
and  evil  was  necessary  to  that  end. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  when  the  battleship 
"  Oregon  "  was  launched  she  was  regarded  as  an  ex- 
periment. Whether  she  would  answer  her  purpose 
or  not  remained  to  be  seen.  But  after  Captain  Evans 
had  taken  her  around  The  Horn  and  back  again,  she 
was  justly  pronounced  a  tried  and  trusty  ship. 

In  like  manner,  if  man  was  to  be  approved  as  a 
divine  masterpiece,  he  must  be  exposed  to  trial.  As  he 
left  the  creative  hand  he  was  without  positive  char- 
acter: the  best  that  could  be  said  of  him  was  that  he 
was  negatively  free  from  sin. 

The  second  item  in  the  narrative  is  The  Tree. 

There  was  nothing  in  this  particular  tree  that  dis- 
tinguished it  from  others  in  the  garden.  Its  fruit  was 
like  theirs,  no  better  and  no  worse ;  and  "  it  was  fair 


THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE  47 

to  look  on."  The  only  thing  which  differentiated  it 
from  the  other  trees  was  that  it  was,  as  the  Germans 
say,  verboten;  that  is,  under  the  ban,  as  God  said, 
"  Thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it." 

The  name  by  which  it  was  called  is  significant; 
"  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil." 

If  Adam  partook  of  its  fruit  he  would,  by  his  dis- 
obedience, come  into  an  experimental  knowledge  of 
the  actual  difference  between  sin  and  holiness. 

It  was  therefore  the  tree  of  destiny.  If  the  man 
refrained  from  partaking  of  this  tree  he  would  enter 
into  life;  in  other  words,  character.  If  he  disobeyed 
he  would  die,  that  is,  be  alienated  from  God. 

It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  death  here 
threatened  was  not  physical  death  or  extinction.  It 
was  impossible  for  Adam  thus  to  die,  since  God  had 
breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life  and  made 
him  a  living  soul;  which  means  that  he  was  endowed 
with  immortality.  How  could  one  cease  to  be  whose 
life  was  a  spark  thrown  off  from  the  eternal  fire? 
For  better  or  worse  he  was  as  imperishable  as  the  God 
who  created  him. 

But  it  was  possible  for  him,  by  crossing  the  pur- 
poses of  God  to  part  company  with  him;  and  this  he 
did.  This  crossing  is  "  trans-gression" ;  and  transgres- 
sion is  spiritual  death ;  or  alienation  from  God. 

The  third  item  in  the  story  is  The  Tempter. 

He  is  called  "  the  adversary."  As  God's  purpose 
was  to  realize  to  the  uttermost  the  splendid  possibili- 
ties of  this  new  created  man,  the  purpose  of  the  ad- 
versary was  to  bring  him  into  enmity  with  God. 

In  what  guise  did  he  present  himself?  Had  he  been 
permitted  to  come  as  an  angel  of  light,  that  would 


48  THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE 

have  been  to  take  an  unfair  advantage  of  the  man. 
Had  he  come  in  propria  persona,  with  horns  and 
hoofs  as  he  is  often  represented,  he  would  have  put 
himself  at  such  a  disadvantage  as  to  make  success 
impossible.  It  would  have  been  an  easy  matter  for 
Adam  to  reject  the  overtures  of  such  a  foe. 

How  then  should  he  appear?  In  what  better  or 
more  alluring  guise  than  that  of  a  serpent;  silent, 
sinuous  and  "  more  subtle  than  any  creature  which 
the  Lord  had  made "  ?  The  temptation  was  thus 
offered  in  most  seductive  form. 

It  is  objected,  however,  that  the  serpent  is  repre- 
sented as  speaking;  and  who  ever  heard  a  serpent 
speak?  Ah,  who  has  not?  Have  you  never  read  of 
Uriah  Heep,  or  of  Dr.  Jekyll,  or  of  Kipling's  Vam- 
pire, "  a  rag  and  a  bone  and  a  hank  of  hair  "  ?  Is 
there  a  man  or  woman  in  this  presence  who  has  not 
heard  the  articulate  hiss  of  the  serpent  gliding  by? 

The  fourth  item  in  the  narrative  is  The  Temptation. 

This  was  of  a  character  that  quite  beseemed  an  ad- 
versary whom  our  Lord  characterized  as  "  a  liar  and 
the  father  of  lies." 

The  tempter  began  by  denying  the  truth  of  God ; 
"  Yea,  hath  God  said  ?  "  Here  is  an  intimation  that 
the  divine  word  is  merely  a  myth  and  not  to  be  de- 
pended on. 

He  then  called  in  question  the  goodness  of  God, 
saying ;  "  Ye  shall  not  surely  die."  What  he  meant 
was,  "  Do  you  suppose  a  good  God  would  inflict  so 
severe  a  penalty  for  such  a  little  thing  as  eating  of 
this  tree  ?    Nay,  impossible !    Ye  shall  not  surely  die." 

And  then  he  boldly  assailed  the  divine  integrity,  by 
intimating  that  there  was  something  behind  all  this: 


THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE  49 

"  For  God  doth  know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof 
your  eyes  shall  be  opened,  and  ye  shall  know  good 
and  evil,  and  be  as  God." 

Thus  the  temptation  was  worthy  of  the  father  of 
lies.  There  is  this  to  be  said  however  to  the  credit 
of  Satan,  that  in  each  instance  he  was,  so  to  speak, 
an  honest  liar.  He  did  not  come  in  canonicals,  pro- 
fessing loyalty  to  God's  word  while  seeking  to  under- 
mine it. 

The  fifth  item  in  the  narrative  is  The  Result :  "  And 
he  did  eat." 

In  believing  Satan  rather  than  God,  this  man  sus- 
tained a  threefold  loss. 

To  begin  with,  he  lost  his  innocence.  His  soul  had 
previously  been  a  tabula  rasa  without  a  stain  upon  it. 
The  whiteness  now  was  gone ;  his  soul  was  defiled  with 
the  black  spot  of  sin.  For  sin  is  "  any  want  of  con- 
formity unto  or  transgression  of  the  divine  law." 

He  lost  his  self-respect  also :  "  His  eyes  were  opened 
and  he  knew  that  he  was  naked."  That  was  the  birth- 
day of  human  shame.  It  was  no  longer  possible  that 
the  man  should  have  a  good  opinion  of  himself.    Write 

"  '  Ichabod  '  upon  his  forehead, 
For  the  glory  has  departed ! 
Far  off  he  stands  with  fearful  eyes, 
Nor  dares  to  lift  them  to  the  skies." 

Furthermore,  he  lost  his  life :  the  possibility  of  that 
large,  eternal  life  which  had  been  opened  up  before 
him.  Had  he  obeyed  he  would  have  been  forever  on 
cordial  terms  with  God.  As  it  was,  on  hearing  the 
voice  of  God  walking  in  the  Garden  in  the  cool  of 
the  day  he  hid  himself  among  the  trees.    He  was  now 


50  THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE 

at  cross  purposes  with  his  Maker  and  himself.  It  re- 
mained to  be  seen  whether  he  could  regain  the  ground 
which  he  had  lost  and  be  again  at  peace  with  God. 

But  how  are  we  personally  concerned  in  this  mat- 
ter?   Can  we  be  held  responsible  for  Adam's  sin? 

Let  me  in  this  connection,  call  to  your  remembrance 
two  obvious  facts.  One  is  that  we  are  by  lineal 
descent  the  children  of  Adam;  and  the  other  is  that 
we  are  all  sinners :  as  it  is  written,  "  There  is  no  dif- 
ference ;  for  all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the 
glory  of  God."  It  is  for  us  to  say  whether  there  is 
any  logical  connection  between  these  two  indubitable 
facts. 

I  am  not  going  to  insist  on  the  doctrine  of  original 
sin.  Let  it  suffice  that  there  is  something  to  be  said 
for  the  scientific  doctrine  of  "  heredity,"  which 
amounts  to  the  same  thing.  If  it  be  not  true  that,  in 
the  words  of  the  New  England  Primer,  "  In  Adam's 
fall,  we  sinned  all,"  it  is  at  least  indisputable  that 
from  our  earliest  moments  of  conscious  life  we  are  all 
alike  sensible  of  a  tendency  toward  sin. 

A  question  of  far  more  practical  importance  is, 
What  shall  we  do  about  it? 

A  man  in  a  burning  house  would  not  be  likely  to 
busy  himself  with  a  discussion  as  to  the  chemical 
properties  of  caloric ;  he  would  straightway  look  for  a 
fire  escape  and  proceed  to  take  advantage  of  it. 

The  facts  being  clear,  the  supreme  problem  is,  How 
to  escape  from  the  desperate  situation  in  which  we 
find  ourselves ;  a  difficulty  that  involves  us  in  spiritual 
and  eternal  death  unless  we  can  somehow  extricate 
ourselves  from  it. 

It  would  scarcely  be  expected  that  the  good  God 


THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE  51 

who  had  created  man  in  his  own  likeness  would  leave 
him  in  this  extremity  without  exhausting  all  the  di- 
vine resources,  if  necessary  in  order  to  deliver  him. 

He  had  made  a  covenant  with  Adam  in  which 
eternal  life  was  promised  on  condition  of  obedience 
to  his  holy  law.  The  "  covenant  of  works "  was 
broken,  and  the  penalty — of  which  he  had  been  duly 
admonished — was  "  The  soul  that  sinneth,  it  shall 
die." 

But  the  man  was  given  another  chance.  The 
"  covenant  of  works  "  having  failed,  he  was  offered  a 
new  covenant  called  "  the  covenant  of  grace."  No 
sooner  had  Adam  sinned  than  he  received  the  prophecy 
of  a  coming  Saviour  who  was  to  deliver  him  and  all 
succeeding  generations  from  the  shame  and  power  and 
penalty  of  sin.  At  the  very  gate  of  Paradise  the 
protevangel  was  proclaimed ;  "  The  Seed  of  woman 
shall  come  in  the  fulness  of  time  and  bruise  the  ser- 
pent's head." 

The  only  condition  affixed  to  the  full  benefits  of  that 
covenant  was  an  appropriating  faith  in  the  Saviour 
who  stood  at  the  centre  of  it. 

We  find  a  singular  significance  in  the  fact  that 
Christ  is  called  "  the  second  Adam  " ;  as  it  is  written, 
"  The  first  Adam  was  made  a  living  soul ;  the  last 
Adam  was  made  a  quickened  spirit;  for  as  in  Adam 
all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive.  The 
first  man  is  of  the  earth  earthy,  the  second  man  is  as 
the  Lord  from  heaven."  By  this  we  are  given  to 
understand  that  whereas  Adam  by  his  disobedience 
passed  under  the  sentence  of  death,  the  second  Adam, 
being  made  in  the  likeness  of  sinful  man,  paid  the 
full  penalty  by  his  vicarious  death ;  so  that  whosoever 


52  THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE 

believeth  in  him — that  is  to  say,  whosoever  is  willing 
to  accept  the  benefits  of  his  atonement — shall  enter 
into  an  eternal  life  of  full,  complete  and  eternal  recon- 
ciliation with  God. 

The  first  Adam  yielded  to  the  temptation  of  the 
adversary  to  reject  the  Word  of  God;  the  second 
Man  went  out  into  the  wilderness  to  be  tempted  in 
like  manner;  but  to  every  suggestion  of  disobedience 
he  answered,  "  It  is  written."  And  having  been 
tempted  thus,  in  all  points  like  as  we  are,  he  is  able 
to  succor  them  that  are  tempted.  He  not  only  saves 
us  from  the  penalty  of  sin,  but  comes  to  our  relief 
in  the  hour  of  temptation,  and  so  lends  a  hand  that 
we  may  be  able  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day  and 
"  having  done  all,  to  stand "  and  quit  ourselves  like 
men. 

In  view  of  these  things  it  is  difficult  to  see  how 
God  could  have  done  more  for  his  vineyard  than  he 
hath  done  for  it.  He  has  cast  up  an  highway  so 
plain  that  the  wayfaring  man,  however  foolish,  need 
not  err  therein.  He  who  receives  the  incarnate  Word 
of  God  upon  the  authority  of  his  written  Word  has 
recovered  all  his  lost  estate,  and  more ;  for  "  where  sin 
abounded,  grace  hath  much  more  abounded." 

If  we  cannot  claim  the  innocency  of  the  original 
Adam  we  can  claim  a  pardon  so  complete  and  com- 
prehensive that  we  stand  in  God's  sight  as  if  we  had 
never  sinned  against  him. 

And  beyond  that,  the  righteousness  of  Christ  him- 
self, is  imputed  unto  us  by  faith  in  him.  We  thus 
become  "  heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs  with  Christ 
to  an  inheritance  incorruptible  and  undefiled  and  that 
fadeth  not  away." 


THE  FORBIDDEN  TREE  53 

It  appears,  then,  that  everything  is  summed  up  in 
Christ  who  is  made  unto  us  wisdom,  and  righteous- 
ness and  sanctification  and  redemption.  He  is  our 
Alpha  and  Omega ;  first,  last,  midst  and  all  in  all. 

As  I  sat  on  my  piazza,  one  day  in  the  country,  a 
Syrian  came  up  the  walk  with  his  little  boy.  The  man 
carried  a  pedler's  pack  and,  as  he  had  nothing  to  offer 
which  I  cared  for,  I  beckoned  him  away ;  but  he  came 
right  on.  He  could  speak  no  English ;  but  his  boy  had 
learned  a  little.  I  asked  where  they  came  from.  The 
boy  answered  "  From  Mount  Lebanon  in  Syria."  I 
asked  if  they  knew  Henry  Jessup,  the  missionary. 
The  old  man,  catching  the  name,  threw  up  his  hands 
crying,  "  Henry  Jessup ;  he,  Jesus  man !  "  I  asked 
what  they  knew  about  Jesus.  The  man  caught  that 
word  also  and  haltingly  replied,  "  God-so-loved-the- 
world-that-he-gave-his-only-begotten-Son-that-whoso- 
ever-believeth-in-him-should- not -perish-but-have-eter- 
nal-life." 

He  had  discovered  the  saving  truth!  My  friends, 
it's  all  there :  "  God  so  loved  the  world ! "  Let  us 
believe  it. 


VI 

THE  GREAT  AMNESTY 

"  Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  said  the  Lord : 
though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow ; 
though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as  wool." — 
Isaiah  i  :  18. 

THE  prophecies  of  Isaiah  cover  a  period  of  about 
forty  years,  when  Israel  was  hastening  to  its 
fall.  The  Temple  had  been  practically  aban- 
doned and  the  people  were  nocking  with  one  accord  to 
the  altars  of  the  pagan  gods. 

Clouds  of  disaster  were  gathering  thick  and  fast. 
Egypt  and  Assyria  were  in  arms  and  Babylon  was 
coming  to  the  fore.  The  upper  and  nether  millstone 
of  internal  corruption  and  outward  assault  were 
rapidly  closing  in  upon  the  doomed  nation. 

Meanwhile  Isaiah  stood  almost  alone  as  a  witness 
for  Jehovah.  "  Faithful  among  the  faithless,  only 
he."  His  sermons  were  in  the  form  of  warnings, 
remonstrances  and  persuasions,  earnest  exhortations ; 
all  being  delivered  as  manifestoes  from  the  throne  of 
God. 

In  our  text  we  have  one  of  these.  It  was  prob- 
ably affixed  to  the  closed  doors  of  the  Temple :  and 
one  may  easily  imagine  the  feelings  it  awakened  in 
those  who  passed  by. 

The  Baalites  smiled  and  wagged  their  heads.  "  The 
54 


THE  GREAT  AMNESTY  55 

old  prophet,"  they^said,  "  is  behind  the  times  " — an 
observation  which  hak  a  strangely  familiar  sound  in 
these   days. 

The  religious  leaders  of  Israel  may  have  been  moved 
with  compunction  of  conscience;  but  why  should  they 
protest  ?  "  Everybody  is  worshipping  Baal  and  it  be- 
hooves us  to  follow  the  fashion." 

There  must  have  been  some,  however,  who  read 
the  parchment  with  a  deep  longing  for  the  old  re- 
ligion, like  that  of  David  when  he  craved  a  drink  of 
water  from  the  well  beside  the  gate  at  Bethlehem. 

"  Oh,  that  old-time  religion, 
It  is  good  enough  for  me." 

But  it  was  too  late  to  arrest  the  momentum  of 
error.  On  went  the  fatuous  nation,  rushing  upon 
the  bosses  of  the  shield  of  God. 

This  Proclamation  has  a  perpetual  significance,  as 
one  of  the  God's  State  Papers.  It  is  addressed  "  to 
all  whom  it  may  concern  " ;  and  it  concerns  all  sinners 
of  every  age.  For  whatever  may  be  the  vicissitudes 
of  time,  there  are  three  constant  factors  in  the  prob- 
lem of  history ;  to  wit,  God,  man  and  the  reconciliation 
of  man  with  God. 

I.    Observe  the  Headline. 

It  purports  to  be  a  Decree  of  Absolution.  Its 
thesis  is  The  Pardon  of  Sin.  It  proposes  to  answer 
the  question  which  lies  deepest  in  the  human  heart  : 
"What  shall  I  do  to  be  saved?" 

This  is  a  question  that  demands  our  earnest  con- 
sideration, because  the  issues  of  eternal  life  and  death 
are  in  it. 

A  young  man  who  was  obliged  to  submit  to  a  surgi- 


56  THE  GREAT  AMNESTY 

cal  operation  for  a  critical  malady,  looked  into  the 
face  of  the  surgeon  and  said  pathetically,  "  You  know, 
doctor,  what  this  means.  You  won't  fool  with  me, 
will  you?"  So  here;  there  is  a  call  for  serious 
thought :  the  scalpel  grazes  so  near  the  centre  of  life ! 

II.  Observe  the  Red  Seal  upon  it :  "  Thus  saith  the 
Lord." 

This  means  that  the  message  is  authentic  and  trust- 
worthy. 

The  opinion  of  Isaiah  himself  in  these  premises  is 
of  little  moment.  What  we  want  to  know  is,  Does  he 
bring  a  communication  from  God?  And  if  so,  what 
is  it? 

The  question  is  discussed  by  agnostics  and  rational- 
ists from  the  standpoint  of  personal  opinion;  who 
frame  their  conclusion  in  such  terms  as  "  I  think  thus 
and  so."  But  who  cares  what  they  think  about  it? 
We  want  no  ifs  or  peradventures :  no  guesses  or  con- 
jectures.   We  must  have  a  Yea  and  Amen. 

The  problem  has  to  do  with  salvation;  and  its  solu- 
tion lies  beyond  all  human  ken.  If  solved  at  all,  in- 
finite wisdom  must  solve  it. 

In  the  time  of  our  Civil  War,  when  battles  were 
pending  and  the  lives  of  dear  ones  were  in  the  bal- 
ance, the  newspapers  were  full  of  canards,  and 
rumours  of  all  sorts  filled  the  air.  But  when  we  saw 
on  the  bulletin  boards  a  statement  bearing  the  signa- 
ture, "  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,"  we  knew  that  we 
could  depend  upon  it. 

So  in  the  present  case.  Will  God  keep  silence  when 
men  and  women  made  in  his  likeness  are  perplexed 
and  bewildered  and  crying,  "  What  shall  we  do?" 
No;  here  is  a  message  from  the  throne,  bearing  the 


THE  GREAT  AMNESTY  57 

red  seal  of  authenticity ;  wherefore  we  can  rely  upon  it. 

III.  Observe  the  Call :  "  Come  now,  saith  the 
Lord." 

Strange  language,  when  we  pause  to  consider  it. 
Can  we  not  see  the  wistful  look  on  the  Father's  face 
as  he  thus  appeals  to  us? 

Who  speaks  ?  God.  And  who  is  this  God  ?  "  Be- 
hold thou  hast  been  our  dwelling  place  in  all  genera- 
tions. Before  the  mountains  were  brought  forth  or 
ever  thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world,  even 
from  everlasting  to  everlasting  thou  art — God !  " 

Of  the  essential  God  we  know  but  little:  never- 
theless we  must  believe  in  his  existence;  for  so  it  is 
written,  "He  that  cometh  to  God  must  believe  that 
he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  diligently 
seek  him." 

We  know,  however,  that  he  is  the  high  and  Holy 
One  who  inhabiteth  eternity,  and  that  angels  and 
archangels'  veil  their  faces  before  him,  crying,  "  Holy, 
holy,  holy,  Lord  God  Almighty !  " 

And  we  know  that  he  is  love;  else  why  should  he 
say,  "  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure 
in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  that  all  should  turn 
and  live.    Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  will  ye  die  ?  " 

And  to  whom  is  he  speaking?  To  men.  What 
is  man  ?  "  When  I  consider  thy  heavens,  the  work  of 
thy  fingers,  the  moon  and  the  stars  which  thou  hast 
ordained;  what  is  man,  that  thou  art  mindful  of  him; 
or  the  son  of  man,  that  thou  visitest  him?  " 

He  is  the  creature  of  God's  hand;  and  as  such  is 
as  relatively  insignificant  as  a  mote  flying  in  a  sun- 
beam. More  and  worse  than  that,  he  is  a  rebel  against 
the  divine  law. 


58  THE  GREAT  AMNESTY 

Will  a  man,  when  stung  by  a  wasp,  hesitate  to 
crush  it?  Why,  then,  should  God  extend  his  over- 
tures of  mercy  to  those  who  persist  in  disobeying  him  ? 
"  He  hath  not  dealt  with  us  after  our  sins,  nor  re- 
warded us  according  to  our  iniquities."  Why  not? 
We  can  only  account  for  this  by  saying,  "  His 
thoughts  are  not  as  our  thoughts,  nor  his  ways  as  our 
ways." 

IV.  Observe  the  Invitation :  "  Come  now,  saith  the 
Lord,  and  let  us  reason  together." 

Here  is  no  short  shrift  for  confessed  criminals,  but 
an  appeal  to  the  reason  of  unreasonable  men. 

What  a  tribute  to  the  dignity  of  our  fallen  nature! 
Is  it  a  ruin?  Yes,  but  a  splendid  ruin  even  at  its 
worst;  for  man  in  his  lost  estate  is  still  by  nature  a 
child  of  God. 

He  is  the  only  creature  with  whom  God  can  reason ; 
and  by  this  fact  man  is  differentiated  from  all  the 
lower  orders  of  life ;  as  it  is  written,  "  How  much  bet- 
ter is  a  man  than  a  sheep." 

He  alone  can  sin.  The  sun  hears  the  divine  behest 
"  Go  forth  upon  thy  daily  course,"  and  it  obeys.  Man 
alone  is  at  odds  with  the  laws  of  his  being,  since  he 
can  defy  God — and  take  the  consequences. 

And  he  alone  can  repent.  For  the  monitor  in  his 
bosom,  however  wronged  and  silenced,  still,  on  occa- 
sion, shakes  its  gaunt  finger  at  him. 

And  he  alone  can  pray.  "  He  can  think  God's 
thoughts  after  him,"  as  Keppler  said,  reasoning  pro 
and  contra  with  the  infinite  Being  who  created  him. 

And  what  a  tribute  have  we  here  to  the  conde- 
scension of  God!  His  authority  is  veiled,  for  the 
moment,  while  he  stoops  to  conquer.     He  calls  the 


THE  GREAT  AMNESTY  59 

sinner  not  to  trial  but  to  argument.  It  is  as  if  he 
said,  "  Sit  thou  there  and  I  here ;  and  we  will  confer 
as  to  the  matter  in  hand." 

Here  is  also  an  eloquent  tribute  to  the  reasonable- 
ness of  our  religion.  It  asks  only  to  stand  upon  its 
merits.    It  courts  the  verdict  of  every  thoughtful  man. 

The  only  thing  in  the  world  that  the  religion  of  the 
Bible  dreads  is  human  indifference;  as  it  is  written, 
"  Hear,  O  heavens,  and  give  ear,  O  earth,  for  the 
Lord  hath  spoken :  I  have  nourished  and  brought  up 
children  and  they  have  rebelled  against  me.  The  ox 
knoweth  his  owner  and  the  ass  his  master's  crib;  but 
Israel  doth  not  know,  my  people  doth  not  consider." 

If  men  would  only  consider,  the  world  would  soon 
fall  in  with  God's  overtures  in  the  Gospel  of  his 
grace. 

V.    Observe  the  Conference. 

The  sinner  is  now  presumed  to  be  sitting  face  to 
face  with  God.  The  question  at  issue  is  the  old  ques- 
tion, "  How  shall  God  be  just  and  yet  the  justifier  of 
the   ungodly  ?  " 

And  what  shall  the  sinner  say? 

He  is  urged  to  "  produce  his  strong  arguments." 
What  are  they?  Shall  he  plead  innocence?  Nay; 
there  is  not  a  man  living  in  the  world  who  does  not 
instantly  respond  to  the  statement,  "  All  have  sinned 
and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God." 

Shall  he  say  that  he  sinned  for  want  of  knowl- 
edge? Not  that,  surely;  for  all  along  he  has  been 
clearly  advised  concerning  the  heinousness  of  sin  and 
the  retribution  that  surely  follows  it. 

Can  he  say  that  he  did  not  mean  to  sin?  No;  for 
he  is  aware  of  many  presumptuous  sins,  which  were 


60  THE  GREAT  AMNESTY 

deliberately  committed  against  his  conscience,  "  accus- 
ing or  excusing  him." 

Can  he  say  that  he  could  not  help  it?  He  knows, 
on  the  contrary,  that  he  is  unable  to  point  to  a  single 
sin  in  his  whole  life  that  was  not  distinctly  voluntary. 
For  all  sin  is  by  the  exercise  of  a  sovereign  will  or 
in  obedience  to  wilfully  contracted  habit;  otherwise 
it  would  not  be  sin. 

What  then  shall  he  say  for  himself?  Nothing!  He 
can  only  enter  the  crestfallen  plea  of  "  Guilty." 
Guilty  and  with  no  loophole  of  escape! 

If  there  were  any  doubt  he  would  surely  have  the 
benefit  of  it;  but  there  is  none.  The  crowning  evi- 
dence of  his  guilt  is  confession. 

He  admits  his  default  and  is  helpless  to  remedy  it. 
In  his  efforts  to  escape  punishment  he  is  like  Sisyphus, 
rolling  a  stone  up  a  steep  ascent  only  to  have  it  ever 
rolling  back  upon  him. 

In  his  hopelessness  he  is  like  Prometheus,  chained 
to  the  rock  of  the  Caucasus,  crying,  "  I  must  endure 
my  pain  until  one  of  the  gods  shall  take  my  place  and 
bear  it  for  me."  But  where  is  the  god  who  will 
bear  it? 

So  much  for  man's  place  in  the  conference.  Now 
what  does  God  say  ?  One  thing  only :  "  Though  your 
sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow; 
and  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be  as 
wool." 

This  is  God's  answer  to  the  silent  shamefaced  sin- 
ner. He  has  a  plan  for  his  salvation;  a  plan  briefly 
comprehended  in  the  single  word  blood.  "  The  blood 
of  Jesus  Christ  cleanseth  from  all  sin." 

A  man  once  under  conviction  of  sin  had  this  dream : 


THE  GREAT  AMNESTY  61 

he  seemed  to  be  travelling  in  a  vast  plain,  weary  and 
famishing,  in  the  face  of  an  approaching  storm.  He 
came,  at  length,  in  the  gathering  twilight  to  an  upright 
beam  at  whose  foot  he  fell  exhausted  and  clinging 
like  a  weary  child.  In  the  deepening  night  he  saw 
monsters  with  red  eyeballs  glaring  at  him — the  wraiths 
of  many  sins.  But  for  some  reason  they  could  not 
reach  him.  Then  he  felt  a  warm  drop  on  his  face. 
It  was  blood !  Looking  up,  he  perceived  the  dim  out- 
line of  the  Cross  and  knew  that  he  was  safe. 

"  Beneath  the  Cross  of  Jesus, 
I  fain  would  take  my  stand. 
The  shadow  of  a  mighty  Rock, 
Within  a  weary  land. 
A  home  within  the  wilderness, 
A   rest   upon   the   way, 
From  the  burning  of  the  noon-tide  heat, 
And  the  burden  of  the  day. 

"  There  lies  beneath  its  shadow, 
But  on  the  further  side, 
The  darkness  of  an  awful  grave 
That  gapes  both  deep  and  wide; 
And  there  between  us  stands  the  Cross, 
Two  arms  outstretched  to  save, 
Like  a  watchman  set  to  guard  the  way 
From  that  eternal  grave. 

"I  take,  O  Cross,  thy  shadow, 
For  my  abiding  place ; 
I  ask  no  other  sunshine 
Than  the  sunshine  of  his  face; 
Content  to  let  the  world  go  by, 
To  know  no  gain  nor  loss, — 
My  sinful  self,  my  only  shame, — 
My  glory  all  the  Cross." 


62  THE  GREAT  AMNESTY 

One  question  only  remains,  How  shall  we  get  the 
benefit  of  this?  Here  enters  the  doctrine  of  Justifi- 
cation by  Faith.  "  He  that  believeth  shall  enter  into 
life." 

Faith  is  acceptance.  It  is  the  hyssop  branch  that 
sprinkles  the  blood  upon  the  heart,  as  of  old  it 
sprinkled  it  upon  the  lintels  of  the  door  in  pursuance 
of  God's  promise,  "  When  I  see  the  blood  I  will  pass 
over  you !  " 

If  any  is  a  "  universalist,"  I  more.  I  believe  that 
Christ  died  for  all  and  that  all  may  be  saved  through 
him.  But  as  a  sensible  man,  I  am  constrained  to  be- 
lieve, also,  that  no  man  can  be  saved  against  his 
will.  The  Scriptures  affirm,  over  and  over  again,  that 
there  is  one  condition  affixed  to  the  free  gift  of  salva- 
tion, namely,  that  a  man  shall  accept  it.  He  must 
be  willing  to  be  saved  that  way. 

So  it  is  written,  "  He  that  believeth  on  the  Son 
hath  eternal  life :  and  he  that  believeth  not,  the  wrath 
of  God  abideth  on  him.v  That  is,  if  he  refuses — 
actively  or  passively — the  sanctity  of  his  sovereign 
will  is  so  respected  that  he  remains  where  he  chooses 
to  be. 

In  this  case,  his  condition  is  worse  than  it  would 
have  been  if  he  had  never  heard  of  Christ. 

Is  there  any  other  plan  of  salvation?  I  know  of 
none. 

There  are  other  religions  and  philosophies  that  sug- 
gest the  propriety  of  "  turning  over  a  new  leaf  " ; 
but  good  resolutions  cannot  blot  out  the  mislived  past. 
Can  a  man  cancel  his  debts  by  resolving  henceforth 
to  pay  as  he  goes?  Does  not  every  hour  of  the  day 
have  its  own  responsibilities,  leaving  no  margin  for 


THE  GREAT  AMNESTY  63 

works  of  supererogation?  If  I,  from  this  moment, 
were  never  to  commit  another  sin,  how  in  reason 
would  that  expiate  my  past  sins? 

If  a  man  were  standing  on  the  edge  of  an  abyss 
separating  time  from  eternity,  with  the  lights  of 
heaven  shining  in  the  distance;  and  if  a  bridge  were 
to  be  seen  crossing  the  abyss,  and  one  bridge  only, 
would  it  not  be  the  part  of  reason  to  cross  it? 

All  that  God  asks  of  any  one  is  that  he  will  deal 
fairly  with  himself.  He  invites  the  sinner  to  stop 
and  think.  He  wants  him  to  go  apart  from  the  cares 
and  perplexities  of  life  long  enough  to  hold  conference 
with  his  Maker  as  to  the  great  problem  of  destiny. 
Alas  for  those  who  refuse  to  thus  reason  with  God; 
who  hurry  on  to  Judgment  with  no  preparation  for  it. 

A  father  was  once  reading  the  Parable  of  the 
Prodigal  Son  to  his  child,  who  had  before  him  a  pic- 
ture of  the  wayward  youth  in  the  far  country,  sit- 
ting on  the  trough  in  the  swinefield,  gaunt  with  hun- 
ger, in  rags  and  tatters..  As  the  story  proceeded  the 
boy,  unable  to  restrain  himself,  cried,  "  O  why  doesn't 
he  go  straight  home  ?  " 

That  was  the  voice  of  common  sense.  God  wants  to 
be  gracious.  The  lights  are  kindled  in  the  windows 
of  his  house.  The  homeward  path  is  plain.  Why 
does  not  every  prodigal  say,  "  I  will  arise  and  go  "  ? 


VII 

THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH 

"  Come,  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith  the  Lord ; 
though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet  they  shall  be  as  white  as  snow ; 
though  they  be  red  like  crimson  they  shall  be  as  wool."— 
Isaiah  i  :  18. 

IT  is  a  far  cry  from  Isaiah  to  Shakespeare:  but  a 
reference  to  one  of  the  terrific  scenes  in  "  Mac- 
beth "  will  help  us,  perhaps,  to  a  clearer  view  of 
the  relation  of  the  Cross  to  the  pardon  of  sin. 

Act  II,     Scene  2. 
(Enter  Macbeth,  looking  on  his  hands)   This  is  a  sorry  sight ! 
Lady  M.    A  foolish  thought,  to  say  a  sorry  sight. 

Macb.        There's  one  did  laugh  in's   sleep,  and  one  cried, 

"  Murder ! " 
That  they  did  wake  each  other;  I  stood  and  heard 

them. 
One   cried,    "  God   bless   us ! "   and   "  Amen,"   the 

other, 
As  they  had  seen  me  with  these  hangman's  hands. 
Listening  their  fear,  I  could  not  say  "  Amen," 
When  they  did  say,  "  God  bless  us." 

Lady  M.    Consider  it  not  so  deeply. 

Macb.         But  wherefore  could  not  I  pronounce  "Amen?" 
I  had  most  need  of  blessing,  and  "  Amen  " 
Stuck  in  my  throat. 
64 


THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH  65 

Lady  M.    These  deeds  must  not  be  thought 

After  these  ways;  so,  it  will  make  us  mad. 

Macb.         Methought  I  heard  a  voice  cry,  "  Sleep  no  more ! 
Macbeth  does  murder  sleep  " ;  the  innocent  sleep ; 
Sleep  that  knits  up  the  ravell'd  sleave  of  care, 
The  death  of  each  day's  life,  sore  labour's  bath, 
Balm  of  hurt  minds,  great  nature's  second  course, 
Chief  nourisher  in  life's  feast. 

Lady  M.    What  do  you  mean? 

Macb.         Still  it  cried,  "  Sleep  no  more !  .   .   . 

Glamis  hath  murder'd  sleep ;  and  therefore  Cawdor 
Shall  sleep  no  more,  Macbeth  shall  sleep  no  more !  " 

Lady  M.    Who  was  it  that  thus  cried?    Why,  worthy  thane, 
You  do  unbend  your  noble  strength,  to  think 
So  brainsickly  of  things.    Go  get  some  water, 
And  wash  this  filthy  witness  from  your  hand. 

'Macb.         Whence  is  that  knocking? 

How  is't  with  me,  when  every  noise  appals  me? 
What  hands  are  here?     Ha!  they  pluck  out  mine 

eyes ! 
Will  all  great  Neptune's  ocean  wash  this  blood 
Clean  from  my  hand  ?     No  ;  this  my  hand  will  rather 
The  multitudinous  seas  incarnadine! 

The  question  arises,  Why  should  Macbeth  be  so 
deeply  distressed  by  a  crimson  stain  on  his  hand?  A 
little  water  would  easily  wash  that  off.  But  was  there 
something  beneath  it  ?  In  truth,  the  trouble  lay  deeper 
down ;  it  was  the  ingrained  sense  of  sin ! 

I.    Sin  is  a  Fact. 

This  needs  emphasis,  because  there  is  a  disposition 
in  some  quarters  to  explain  it  away.  There  are  those 
who  regard  sin  as  a  physical  malady,  to  be  healed  by 


66  THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH 

proper  dieting  and  therapeutics.  This,  however,  was 
not  the  prognosis  of  the  royal  teech;  for  when  Lady- 
Macbeth  entered,  walking  in  her  sleep  and  rubbing 
her  hands,  with  a  smothered  cry,  "  Out,  damned  spot ! 
Will  these  hands  ne'er  be  clean  ?  "  he  observed,  "  More 
needs  she  the  divine  than  the  physician."  Here  is  a 
touch  of  true  philosophy  on  the  part  of  the  great 
dramatist.  The  stain  is  more  indelible  than  crimson 
on  the  hand.  Sin  lies  deeper  than  the  smarting  un- 
cleanness  of  any  -overt  act :  and  it  behooves  us  to  get 
at  the  root  of  it. 

II.    Sin  is  a  Universal  Fact. 

The  malady  of  Macbeth  makes  him  brother  of  us  all. 
"  For  there  is  no  difference ;  all  have  sinned  and  come 
short  of  the  glory  of  God." 

By  this  we  are  not  to  understand  that  all  alike  are 
guilty  of  conspicuous  vices.  In  fact,  there  are  many 
Tespectable  sinners  among  us. 

It  would  have  been  difficult  to  find  in  all  Jerusalem 
a  more  presentable  group  of  church  members  than  the 
Pharisees  who  dragged  the  adulterous  woman  to 
Solomon's  Porch  and  threw  her  at  the  feet  of  Jesus 
saying,  "  Moses  in  the  Law  requireth  that  such  as 
she  shall  be  stoned;  but  what  sayest  thou?"  He 
stooped  in  silence  and  wrote  with  his  finger  on  the 
pavement,  while  the  poor  creature  with  the  scarlet 
letter  on  her  brow  crouched  before  him.  But  see  those 
Pharisees  now  slinking  away :  as  it  is  written,  "  They 
went  out  one  by  one,  beginning  with  the  eldest." 
Why  so?  They  had  followed  the  finger  of  Jesus  as 
he  wrote,  "  Let  him  that  is  without  sin  cast  the  first 
stone  at  her."  Were  they  adulterers,  then?  Oh,  no! 
Not  one  of  them  would  have  been  guilty  of  that  par- 


THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH  67 

ticular  sin.  Nevertheless  there  was  no  room  for 
stone  throwing:  for  they  all  lived  in  glass  houses  and 
knew  it. 

III.    So,  then,  sin  is  a  Personal  Matter. 

It  comes  home  to  you  and  me.  Why  are  we  not  all 
in  Sing  Sing?  Is  it  because  we  have  not  broken  the 
law?  Who  are  these  men  and  women  in  stripes? 
Thieves,  adulterers,  murderers.  That  however  is  not 
why  they  are  behind  the  bars.  In  the  light  of  the 
Sermon  on  the  Mount  the  Ten  Commandments  con- 
demn us  all.  Covetousness  is  theft!  Hatred  is  con- 
structive murder !  Adultery  flames  in  a  lustful  glance ! 
The  reason  why  these  people  are  in  Sing  Sing  while 
we  go  scot  free  is  not  because  they  have  broken  the 
Ten  Commandments  but  because  they  have  broken  the 
eleventh ;  "  Thou  shalt  not  be  found  out."  We  have 
not  broken  it. 

I  am  aware  that  people  do  not  like  to  be- -addressed 
in  this  way.  They  feel  as  Lady  Huntington  did,  who 
went  in  her  carriage  to  hear  George  Whitefield  preach- 
ing in  the  open  fields  and  drove  away  indignant  be- 
cause, as  she  said,  "  He  called  me  a  vulgar  sinner,  fctee 
the— rctbbl^-about-iurtk"  Yet  this  is  Bible  truth  and 
everybody  knows  it.  ftJ^A*? 


IV.    Sin  is  a  Germ-disease. 

A  friend  of  mine  who  has  suffered  from  intolerable 
pain  for  a  fortnight,  so  that  physicians  could  not  re- 
lieve her,  tells  me  that  she  went  out  yesterday  to  an 
X-ray  operator  who  discovered  a  microbe  gnawing 
in  a  sinus  near  the  eye.  The  Lord,  in  like  manner, 
lays  his  finger  on  the  germ  of  sin  when  he  says,  "  He 
that  hath  offended  in  one  point  is  guilty  of  the  whole 
law,"  thus  tracing  our  malady  to  our  first  sin. 


68  THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH 

The  word  "  trans-gression "  means  a  crossing  of 
divine  law.  If  a  planet  leaves  its  orbit,  however 
slight  the  departure,  there  is  no  power  save  that  of  its 
Creator  that  can  restore  it.  It  is  thenceforth  an  out- 
law. The  old  name  for  sin  is-tmornia:  which  means 
"  out  of  order."  The  instant  a  soul  violates  the  divine 
law,  which  is  also  the  law  of  its  own  being,  it  is  hence- 
forth and — so  far  as  its  own  power  is  concerned — 
forever  alienated  from  God. 

A  shepherd  in  the  Valley  of  Chamonix  saw  an  eagle 
leave  its  eyrie  on  the  mountain  and  wheel  majestically 
through  the  air.  Then  suddenly,  with  drooping  wings, 
it  fell  like  a  stone.  On  examination  he  found  that  an 
adder  was  coiled  around  it.  The  moment  the  adder 
struck  its  poisonous  fang,  the  eagle  fell. 

The  reason  why  sin  does  not  cause  immediate  death 
in  the  same  way  is  because  there  is  mercy  in  God. 
"  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the 
death  of  the  wicked  but  that  all  should  turn  unto 
me!" 

But  ah,  that  turning!  There  is  the  difficulty.  We 
sin  and  live  and  still  keep  on  sinning  and  are  spared ; 
but  never  of  ourselves  do  we  return  to  God.  Can  the 
Ethiopian  change  his  spots?  Can  a  wandering  planet 
swing  back  into  its  orbit?  What  hope,  then,  is  there 
for  us? 

V.   Sin  is  a  Malignant  Disease. 

"  It  eateth  like  a  canker."  It  eats  at  nerve  and 
sinew,  and  to  the  very  marrow  of  the  bone;  so  that 
our  whole  physical  being  is  corrupted  by  it. 

It  eats  into  mind  and  conscience  and  heart:  so  that 
our  whole  spiritual  nature  is  defiled  by  it.  u  Out, 
damned  spot ! "  cries  Lady  Macbeth :  and  her  word 


THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH  69 

is  well  chosen,  for  sin  means  condemnation :  "  When 
it  is  finished;  it  bringeth  forth  death." 

The  prophet  Isaiah  uses  no  exaggeration  when  he 
says,  "  The  whole  head  is  sick  and  the  whole  heart 
faint;  from  the  sole  of  the  foot  even  unto  the  head 
there  is  no  soundness  in  it,  but  wounds,  and  bruises 
and  putrifying  sores." 

The  so-called  doctrine  of  "total  depravity  "  does  not 
mean  that  there  is  nothing  good  in  us,  but  that  every 
power  and  faculty  of  body  and  soul  is  affected  by  sin. 
VI.  This  malady  is  Incurable  by  any  human  means. 
The  ingenuity  of  science  and  philosophy  has  found  ' 
no  germicide  for  sin.  In  a  paper  mill  the  scarlet  rags 
are  separated  from  all  others  because  their  colour  is 
"  fast."  It  cannot  be  extracted  without  destroying  the 
fibre.  All  sin  is  scarlet;  all  guilt  is  "blood  guilti- 
ness." It  is  essentially  homicidal  and  suicidal,  too. 
Thus  saith  the  Lord,  "  Though  thou  wash  thee  with 
nitre  and  take  thee  much  soap,  yet  thine  iniquity  is 
marked  before  me." 

So,  then,  Macbeth  is  right :  "  All  great  Neptune's 
ocean  cannot  wash  this  blood  clean  from  my  hand !  " 
And  Lady  Macbeth  is  right :  "  Here  is  the  smell  of 
blood  still!  All  the  perfumes  of  Arabia  will  not 
sweeten  this  little  hand."  Ours  is  apparently  a  des- 
perate case. 

But  possibly  death  will  erase  the  crimson  stain? 
No,  death  destroys  nothing;  not  even  the  body,  and 
certainly  it  cannot  change  character.  "  He  that  is  un- 
just, let  him  be  unjust  still;  and  he  that  is  filthy,  let 
him  be  filthy  still;  and  he  that  is  righteous,  let  him 
be  righteous  still ;  and  he  that  is  holy,  let  him  be  holy 
still!" 


70  THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH 

VII.    What  then  shall  we  do? 

This  is  an  echo  of  the  cry  that  was  raised  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  when  Peter  said  to  the  multitude, 
"  Ye  men  of  Israel,  hear  these  words :  Ye  have  taken 
Jesus  of  Nazareth,  approved  of  God  by  miracles  and 
signs,  and  with  wicked  hands  ye  have  crucified  and 
slain  him  !  "  They  saw  the  crimson. stain ;  and  "  being 
pricked  to  the  heart,  they  cried  out,  '  Men  and 
brethren,  what  shall  we  do  ?'  And  Peter  said,  '  Re- 
pent, and  be  baptized,  every  one  of  you,  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of  sins !" 

This  is  God's  answer  to  our  perplexity.  He  sent 
his  only  begotten  Son  to  bear  the  shame  and  penalty 
of  our  sins  in  his  own  body  on  the  tree  :  so  that,  "  who- 
soever believeth  in  him  should  not  perish  but  should 
have  everlasting  life.'* 

In  the  last  scene  of  the  tragedy,  Lady  Macbeth  is 
represented  as  saying,  "  Come,  come,  give  me  your 
hand.  What's  done  cannot  be  undone ! "  This  is 
quite  true.  There  is  no  undoing  of  the  past;  but 
God's  thoughts  are  not  our  thoughts.  There  is  an- 
other way. 

A  few  weeks  ago  I  was  present  at  a  "  Campfire  " 
of  Federal  and  Confederate  soldiers  who  met  to  ex- 
change memories  of  the  Civil  War.  The  conversa- 
tion turned  to  narrow  escapes ;  and  presently  the  chair- 
man said  to  a  grey-haired  veteran,  "  General,  have 
you  nothing  to  recall  ?  "  He  answered,  "  I  have  noth- 
ing to  say  for  myself;  but  I  should  like  to  repeat  a 
story  that  a  comrade  told  me  not  long  ago.  He  said 
that  during  the  Campaign  in  the  Wilderness,  the  Con- 
federate officers  were  forewarned  that  spies  were  to 
be  sent  through  the  lines  to  discover  the  disposition 


THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH  71 

of  their  troops.  A  number  of  sharp-shooters  were  ac- 
cordingly put  on  sentry  duty  and  enjoined  to  be 
watchful  and  to  fire  on  sight.  My  friend  took  his 
place  on  a  hillside  and  lay  with  his  musket  beside 
him.  An  orchard  was  below  and  a  wood  beyond  it. 
He  saw  three  men  presently  making  their  way  through 
the  wood  and  acting  suspiciously.  He  aimed  once  and 
again  but  could  not  fire.  Though  he  had  been  in  many 
engagements  he  had  never  aimed  deliberately  at  any 
particular  man.  /  He  had  a  mortal  dread  of  sending  a 
soul  into  eternity.  But  presently  the  foremost  of  the 
spies  entered  the  orchard  and,  as  he  was  dodging  from 
tree  to  tree,  the  sentry  aimed  and  fired !  The  man 
threw  up  his  hands  and  with  a  gush  of  blood  from  his 
forehead,  fell  and  lay  with  hands  stretched  out.  His 
two  companions  fled.  That  night  my  friend  could  not 
sleep.  The  spectre  of  the  dead  man  haunted  him.  It 
1  murdered  sleep/  As  time  passed  he  fell  into  a  settled 
melancholy.  The  war  was  over;  but  day  and  night, 
the  spectre  of  that  dead  man  in  the  orchard  was  before 
him.  Not  long  ago  as  my  friend  was  travelling 
through  Iowa  he  entered  a  smoking-car  and  fumbled 
vainly  for  a  match.  In  the  seat  before  him  was  an 
old  man  whom  he  asked  for  a  light.  The  man  turned 
and  showed  a  Grand  Army  badge  on  the  lapel  of  his 
coat.  This  led  to  reminiscences  of  the  war,  in  the 
course  of  which  the  Grand  Army  man  told  of  a  nar- 
row escape  he  had  while  serving  in  the  Wilderness. 
He  had  been  sent  with  two  companions  to  learn  the 
disposition  of  the  Confederate  troops.  In  approach- 
ing the  lines  they  came  to  an  orchard,  where  he  must 
have  been  careless,  for  a  bullet  struck  him  and  he  knew 
no  more.     His  two  companions  fled;  but  at  nightfall 


72  THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH 

they  returned  and  carried  him  to  the  hospital,  where 
he  lay  for  weeks  in  delirium.  '  My  recovery/  he 
said,  '  was  a  miracle ;  for  see  where  the  bullet  struck 
me.'  With  that  he  raised  his  hat  and  showed  a  scar 
from  the  centre  of  his  forehead  and  backward  where 
the  bullet  had  ploughed  its  way.  Up  to  this  point  my 
friend  had  listened  in  silence  with  his  heart  in  his 
throat;  but  now  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  screamed, 
screamed  for  joy!  The  horror  of  the  weary  years 
was  gone ! " 

Oh,  that  it  were  possible  thus  to  undo  the  past !  "  I 
would  give  my  life,"  said  John  B.  Gough,  "  if  I  could 
undo  the  things  this  guilty  hand  has  done ! "  It  can- 
not be. 

But,  in  divine  mercy  it  has  been  provided  that  the 
record  may  be  blotted  out.  The  past  may  be  sub- 
merged as  in  the  depths  of  an  unfathomable  sea! 
The  Word  of  the  Lord  is :  "I  will  cast  your  sins  be- 
hind my  back :  I  will  remember  them  no  more  against 
you."  Wonderful  thought  of  God !  The  thing  which 
is  otherwise  impossible  is  accomplished  at  the  Cross. 

The  only  condition  affixed  to  the  divine  plan  of  sal- 
vation is  that  we  shall  accept  it.  How  plain,  how 
simple  and  reasonable !  "  Come,  now,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  let  us  reason  together;  though  your  sins  be  as 
scarlet  they  shall  be  white  as  snow,  and  though  they  be 
red  like  crimson  they  shall  be  as  wool."  Do  you  know 
any  other  way? 

"  Only  believe ! "  Only  believe  and  the  fountain 
that  is  filled  with  blood  drawn  from  Emmanuel's  veins 
does  instantly  what  "  all  great  Neptune's  ocean  "  could 
never  do.    The  stain  is  blotted  out !  jf 

The  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  is  found  in  the 


THE  HAND  OF  MACBETH  73 

last  will  and  testament  of  the  man  who  wrote  Macbeth  : 
"  I  commend  my  soul  into  the  hands  of  God,  hoping 
and  assuredly  believing,  that  through  the  only  merits 
of  Jesus  Christ  my  Saviour,  I  shall  be  made  partaker 
of  everlasting  life-"  * 

May  we  thus  rest  our  hope  in  him ! 


*  In  a  lecture  by  Dr.  Thomas  of  London  on  "  The  Theo- 
logical Views  of  Shakespeare"  he  says,  "All  the  schools  oi 
infidel  thought  are  accustomed  to  parade  the  intellectual 
merits  of  the  great  dramatist:  but,  while  feathering  the 
arrows  of  their  arguments  with  the  productions  of  his  mind, 
they  nevertheless  disparage  the  Book  which  he  recognized 
as  divine  and  in  whose  mental,  if  not  moral,  sunshine  he 
bathed  his  genius.  To  extol  Shakespeare  and  deride  the 
Bible  is  therefore  like  praising  the  brook  and  belittling  the 
mountain  springs  that  feed  it,  or  praising  the  moon  and  be- 
littling the  sun  from  whom  she  borrows  her  light." 

It  is  true  there  is  no  evidence  to  show  that  Shakespeare 
lived  a  Christian  life.  On  the  contrary,  his  writings  reflect 
much  of  the  corruption  of  the  theatre  of  his  time.  But 
there  is  no  denying  that  his  acquaintance  with  the  Scriptures 
was  the  source  of  practically  all  that  is  sweetest  and  purest  in 
his  plays:  and  howeyer  his  life  may  have  fallen  short  of  his 
creed  his  last  Will  and  Testament  shows  that  he  was  intel- 
lectually in  harmony  with  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 


VIII 
THE  BEATIFIC  VISION 

"  In  the  year  that  King  Uzziah  died  I  saw  the  Lord  sitting 
upon  a  throne,  high  and  lifted  up,  and  his  train  filled  the 
temple.  Above  it  stood  the  seraphim :  each  one  had  six  wings  ; 
with  twain  he  covered  his  face,  and  with  twain  he  covered 
his  feet,  and  with  twain  he  did  fly.  And  one  cried  unto  an- 
other and  said,  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts:  the 
whole  earth  is  full  of  his  glory.  And  the  posts  of  the  door 
moved  at  the  voice  of  him  that  cried,  and  the  house  was  filled 
with  smoke.  Then  said  I,  Woe  is  me,  for  I  am  undone;  be- 
cause I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst 
of  a  people  of  unclean  lips :  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  the 
King!  Then  flew  one  of  the  seraphim  unto  me,  having  a 
live  coal  in  his  hand,  which  he  had  taken  with  the  tongs  from 
off  the  altar :  and  he  laid  it  upon  my  mouth,  and  said,  Lo,  this 
hath  touched  thy  lips;  and  thine  iniquity  is  taken  away,  and 
thy  sin  is  purged.  Also  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  Lord,  say- 
ing, Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who  will  go  for  us?  Then 
said  I,  Here  am  I;  send  me!" — Isaiah  6:  1-8. 

IfT  is  important  to  note  the  influence  which  this 
vision  had  on  Isaiah's  life  and  character;  for  it 
cannot  be  imagined  that  such  an  event  would  be 
without  definite  results.  It  was  in  fact  a  heart  search- 
ing, revolutionary  experience ;  insomuch,  that  he  could 
never  again  be  the  same  man. 

It  produced  three  definite  impressions  upon  him. 
The  first  had  to  do  with  God. 

He  says,  "  I  saw  the  Lord  sitting  upon  a  throne, 
high  and  lifted  up."    By  this  we  are  not  to  understand 

74 


THE  BEATIFIC  VISION  75 

that  he  really  saw  the  essential  God.  "  No  man  can 
see  God  and  live." 

On  a  bright  morning  you  look  out  of  your  window 
and  say,  "  I  see  the  sun  " :  by  which  you  mean  only 
that  you  see  the  corona  which  surrounds  it.  The 
prophet  saw  the  seraphim,  each  of  them  having  six 
wings,  with  twain  covering  his  face,  with  twain  cover- 
ing his  feet  and  with  twain  poising  for  flight  to  do  his 
Lord's  will.  He  saw  the  foundations  of  the  Temple 
shaking  and  trembling.  He  saw  the  Shekinah,  the  pil- 
lar of  "  smoke." 

And  that  was  all  he  saw. 

But  it  was  enough  to  assure  him  that  God  was 
sitting  upon  his  throne,  controlling  the  affairs  of  the 
children  of  men.  It  was  enough  to  satisfy  him  that 
notwithstanding  the  desperate  condition  of  affairs  in 
Israel,  the  Lord  had  not  abdicated  his  authority  but 
was  still  competent  to  administer  in  all  things.  And 
the  heart  of  Isaiah  was  lifted  up  accordingly  within 
him. 

So  did  the  courage  of  John,  the  Evangelist,  revive 
when,  in  lonely  exile,  meditating  on  the  persecution  of 
his  brethren,  he  saw  the  Lord  walking  in  the  midst  of 
the  golden  candlesticks  and  heard  him  say :  "  I  am  He 
that  liveth  and  was  dead  and,  behold,  I  am  alive  for- 
evermore  and  have  the  keys  of  death  and  hell !  " 

If  ever  our  courage  fails,  when  the  fountains  of  the 
great  deep  seem  to  be  broken  up,  let  us  also  lift  our 
eyes  to  the  Lord  sitting  upon  His  throne,  high  and 
lifted  up.  The  darkest  clouds  are  far  this  side  of 
heaven,  where  in  calm  majesty  the  King  wields  his 
sceptre. 

Up  with  your  hearts !    Siirsum  Corda !    God  is  our 


76  THE  BEATIFIC  VISION 

refuge  and  our  strength ;  a  very  present  help  in  trouble. 
Therefore  we  will  not  fear,  though  the  earth  be  re- 
moved and  though  the  mountains  be  carried  into  the 
midst  of  the  sea. 

But  along  with  this  glimpse  of  the  divine  majesty 
came  also  voices  announcing  the  divine  holiness. 
"  Holy,  holy,  holy  is  the  Lord  of  hosts ! "  He  dwelleth 
in  light  and  glory  unapproachable.  The  stars  of 
heaven  are  not  clean  in  his  sight.  He  is  of  purer 
eyes  than  to  behold  iniquity.  Angels  and  archangels 
veil  their  faces  before  him. 

The  second  impression  had  to  do  zvith  himself,  as 
revealed  in  the  reflected  light  of  the  divine  glory. 

He  had  been  Court  Chaplain  now  eighteen"  years ; 
and  little  wonder  if,  on  entering  the  temple,  clad  in  his 
canonicals,  he  felt  a  sense  of  personal  importance  as 
the  prophet  of  God.  But  his  pride  was  riding  to  a 
fall. 

In  the  light  of  this  unveiling  the  prophet  saw  his 
own  littleness.  Gazing  toward  the  throne-room  of  the 
universe  he  felt  as  David  did,  with  his  face  turned 
upward  to  the  over-arching  skies,  "  When  I  consider 
thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers,  what  is  man  that 
thou  art  mindful  of  him  and  the  son  of  man  that  thou 
visitest  him?  " 

The  tendency  of  our  time  is  to  magnify  man  and 
minimize  God.  There  are  those  who  make  no  scruple 
of  intruding  upon  the  divine  Oracles,  or  taking  lib- 
erties with  the  Infinite.  They  thrust  God  aside,  usurp 
his  prerogatives,  discuss  the  gravest  problems  with  an 
air  of  omniscience  and  take  upon  themselves  the  re- 
sponsibility for  the  general  management  of  mundane 
affairs.    Thus  fools  rush  in  where  angels  fear  to  tread. 


THE  BEATIFIC  VISION  77 

For  such  arrogance  as  this  there  is  no  remedy  but 
the  ineffable  vision  of  the  divine  glory. 

Of  still  greater  significance  was  the  awful  exposure 
of  his  own  sinfulness  which  came  to  Isaiah  in  this  ex- 
perience. Far  as  he  was  removed  from  God  by  the 
fact  that  he  was  a  mere  infinitesimal  in  the  presence 
of  the  Infinite,  he  was  still  further  removed  by  an 
overwhelming  sense  of  ill-desert.  "  Woe  is  me,"  he 
cried,  4<  for  I  am  undone !  I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips 
and  I  dwell  among  a  people  of  unclean  lips ;  and  mine 
eyes  have  seen  the  King !  " 

He  mentioned  his  lips  particularly  because,  as  a 
prophet,  he  had  been  commissioned  to  witness  for  God. 
He  now  perceived  that  he  was  not  worthy  to  name 
God,  much  less  to  witness  for  him.  Thus  does  our 
iniquity  separate  us  from  God  and  thus  do  our  sins 
hide  his  face  from  us. 

The  third  impression  had  reference  more  particu- 
larly to  the  relation  of  Isaiah  with  God. 

He  was  definitely  informed  that,  notwithstanding 
his  insignificance  and  imperfection,  a  personal  place 
was  assigned  to  him  in  the  divine  plan. 

It  was  eighteen  years  since  he  had  received  his 
original  commission  and  he  had  sought  faithfully  to 
discharge  it ;  but  he  was  now  to  start  afresh.  This 
vision  was  destined  to  have  a  stupendous  effect  upon 
him.  The  Lord  had  greater  things  for  him  to  do  than 
he  had  ever  dreamed  of. 

But  before  he  could  enter  upon  this  enlarged  sphere 
of  usefulness  he  must  be  qualified  for  it.  The  oppres- 
sive sense  of  his  sinful  unworthiness  must  be  taken 
from  him.  His  lips  must  be  purged.  "  Then  flew 
one  of  the  seraphim,  having  a  live  coal  from  off  the 


78  THE  BEATIFIC  VISION 

altar,  and  laid  it  upon  his  mouth,  saying,  Lo,  this 
hath  touched  thy  lips,  and  thy  iniquity  is  taken 
away." 

This  coal  from  the  altar  of  sacrifice  spoke  unmis- 
takably of  the  sacrificial  Lamb  of  God.  His  blood  is 
like  fire,  in  that  it  burns  out  sin.  And  only  so  is  a 
man  prepared  for  the  service  of  God. 

Now  came  the  divine  call :  "  Whom  shall  I  send, 
and  who  will  go  for  us?"  Isaiah  had  long  served 
under  the  constraint  of  duty;  but  there  must  be  no 
compulsion  in  the  service  of  his  after-life.  The  fu- 
ture was  dark  before  him.  He  saw  no  prospect  of 
success.  He  was  summoned  to  go  forth  on  a  forlorn 
hope.     Would  he  go? 

The  response  was  immediate :  "  Here  am  I ;  send 
mel" 

His  words  rang  like  those  of  Paul  when,  having 
seen  the  sunburst  and  heard  the  Voice  on  the  way 
down  to  Damascus,  he  cried,  "  Lord,  what  wilt  thou 
have  me  to  do?"  He  also  had  seen  the  King:  and 
the  vision  transformed  his  life.  He  was  ready  for 
whatever  awaited  him :  henceforth  not  duty  but  the 
love  of  Christ  constrained  him. 

Then  followed  the  prophet's  instructions :  "  Go  thou 
to  a  people  whose  ears  are  heavy,  whose  eyes  are 
holden,  whose  heart  is  fat;  to  a  people  that  will  not 
hear  thee !  "  Was  it  strange  that  he  answered,  "  Lord, 
how  long?"  Alas,  there  was  for  him  no  hope  of 
brighter  days.  "  Until  the  cities  be  wasted  without 
inhabitant,  and  the  land  be  utterly  desolate,  and  only 
a  remnant  remains  of  the  holy  seed."  In  other  words, 
his  preaching  was  to  be  as  water  poured  upon  the 
ground.     He  was  to  warn  a  nation  that  was  doomed 


THE  BEATIFIC  VISION  79 

to  die.  He  was  to  beat  the  air.  He  was  to  fail  for 
God. 

But  what  of  that  ?  Is  not  this  '•  the  whole  of  man, 
to  fear  God  and  keep  His  commandments?  "  Not  suc- 
cess but  faithfulness  is  required  of  us. 

The  great  harvests  of  the  Lord  have  ever  been 
reaped  from  the  graves  of  those  who  have  toiled  in 
the  night. 

The  old-time  priests  and  prophets  all  failed.  If  the 
ministry  of  Christ  be  measured  by  visible  results,  he 
failed  too.  Paul  and  the  apostles  failed.  Augustine 
and  Xavier  and  Judson  and  Carey  failed;  but  only 
as  men  count  failure.  "  He  always  wins  who  sides 
with  God!" 

In  the  long  sweep  of  the  centuries  success  is  noth- 
ing but  simple,  unquestioning,  patient  obedience  to  the 
divine  will. 

The  lesson  of  the  beatific  vision  is  of  practical  im- 
port to  all  who  profess  the  service  of  Christ.  It  is 
many  years  since  some  of  us  closed  in  with  the  over- 
tures of  mercy  and,  accepting  Christ  as  our  Saviour, 
set  out  to  follow  him.  Have  we  been  content  with 
mere  perfunctory  obedience?  Have  we  only  been 
marking  time  when  we  should  have  been  engaged  on 
the  high  places  of  the  field? 

If  so  a  vision  like  that  of  Isaiah  would  open  up  a 
new  world  of  happy  usefulness  in  the  Christian 
life. 

It  is  our  high  privilege  to  see  the  King.  He  has 
been  pleased  to  unveil  himself  before  us,  not  en- 
veloped in  "  smoke  "  but  visible  to  our  fleshly  eyes. 
Listen  to  this :  "  He  that  hath  seen  me,"  said  Jesus, 
"  hath  seen  the  Father.    How  sayest  thou  then,  '  Show 


80  THE  BEATIFIC  VISION 

us  the  Father  ? '  Believest  thou  not  that  I  am  in  the 
Father  and  the  Father  in  me  ?  " 

The  theophanies  of  the  Old  Testament  were  but 
foregleams  or  adumbrations  of  Christ.  In  him  dwell- 
eth  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily.  He  is  the 
exegesis  of  God.  To  see  him  is  to  behold  a  vision 
that  casts  down  and  lifts  up  again;  that  convicts  and 
converts;  that  reveals  our  unworthiness  and  at  the 
same  time  endues  us  with  supernatural  power. 

This  is  the  vision  that  opens  the  door  of  efficiency 
in  the  spiritual  life. 

I  have  in  my  study  a  remarkable  book  called  "  The 
Ten  Theophanies,"  by  Dr.  Baker,  whose  name  is  not 
unfamiliar  in  the  annals  of  lighter  literature.  As  his 
life  was  wearing  to  its  close  he  felt  a  consuming  de- 
sire to  publish  his  conception  of  the  unveiling  of  God. 
The  book  that  resulted  was  written  with  a  hand  grow- 
ing feebler  and  feebler,  until  it  was  finished  in  full  view 
of  heaven.  Here  are  its  concluding  words :  "  Try  to 
bring  home  to  yourself  this  Friend  of  mine,  who  is 
God  yet  man,  and  man  yet  God.  He  is  ever  lovingly 
near,  in  the  unlimited  prime  and  plenitude  and  power 
of  his  everlasting  grace. — The  man  who  is  writing 
these  lines  cannot  see  them  for  happy  tears.  He  trem- 
bles because  unable  to  contain,  while  yet  unable  to 
express,  the  thought  Immanuel,  God  with  us!  And 
now,  awaiting  the  appearing  of  our  Lord,  let  me  sound 
his  praise.  The  blessed  and  only  potentate,  King  of 
kings  and  Lord  of  lords,  who  only  hath  immortality, 
dwelling  in  the  light  which  no  man  can  approach  unto. 
To  him  be  honour  and  glory  everlasting ! "  His  labour 
of  love  was  finished;  the  pen  dropped  from  the  trem- 
bling fingers;  a  new  Theophany  had  burst  upon  the 


THE  BEATIFIC  VISION  81 

writer's  soul.  He  was  in  the  midst  of  the  beatific 
vision,  at  home  with  the  God  who  had  unveiled  himself 
before  him. 

To  one  who  has  thus  looked  on  God,  revealed  in  the 
majesty  and  holiness  of  his  beloved  Son,  there  must 
of  necessity  come  a  corresponding  conviction  of  little- 
ness and  unworthiness. 

So  it  was  with  Peter  on  that  morning  by  the  lake 
of  Galilee  when  he  and  his  fellow  fishermen,  having 
toiled  all  night  and  taken  nothing,  saw  the  Master  on 
the  shore.  At  his  bidding  they  "  cast  their  nets  on 
the  right  side  of  the  ship."  Then  came  the  miracle! 
Peter  had  long  known  Jesus  and  endeavoured  to  serve 
him;  but  in  that  wonderful  moment  he  caught  a 
glimpse  of  his  Lord's  majesty  and  of  the  ineffable  holi- 
ness which  ever  accompanies  it  that  filled  him  with 
an  overmastering  awe  and  forced  from  his  lips  that 
strange  and  apparently  inconsequent  cry,  "  Depart 
from  me,  O  Lord,  for  I  am  a  sinful  man !  " 

Thus  to  see  Christ  is  to  see  ourselves,  not  as  others 
see  us,  but  as  we  really  are  in  the  clear  white  light  of 
his  countenance. 

And  never  until  we  have  caught  this  vision,  shall 
we  be  the  sort  of  Christians  that  we  ought  to  be. 
Never  until  then  shall  we  rightly  apprehend  our  place 
in  the  plan  of  God.  Never  until  then  shall  we  escape 
the  drudgery  of  duty  and  enter  on  the  joy  of  voluntary 
service  with  the  cry,  "  Here  am  I ;  send  me !  " 

Meanwhile,  let  us  cease  from  measuring  life  by 
what  men  call  success  and  hold  ourselves  in  readiness 
to  fail,  as  men  count  failure,  if  our  Lord  so  wills  it. 

A  hopeless  dreamer  of  dreams  was  Elijah  until  on 
Horeb  he  caught  the  vision.    He  shook  and  trembled 


82  THE  BEATIFIC  VISION 

as  the  earthquake  and  the  tempest  and  the  fire  passed 
by :  after  that  came  the  still  small  Voice,  "  Go,  re- 
turn !  "  Then  and  there  a  new  and  better  life  began 
for  him.  He  knew  now  that  the  King  was  on  his 
throne,  high  and  lifted  up ;  and  that  this  God  was  his 
God  forever  and  ever! 

O,  that  the  Voice  might  come  to  us,  to  us  who  feel 
our  inefficiency  and  would  fain  enter  upon  a  higher 
and  more  useful  life ! 

We  may  have  the  vision  if  we  will.  The  Voice  is 
calling,  "  Whom  shall  I  send,  and  who  will  go  with 
us?" 

Are  we  ready  to  answer,  "  Here  am  I ;  send  me  "  ? 


IX 

A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS 
(Preached  on  "Peace  Day") 

"The  Prayer  of  Habakkuk  the  prophet  upon  Shigionoth" 
(i.e.  in  the  major  key).— Hab.  3. 

OUR  representative  at  the  Court  of  France  from 
1776  to  1785  was  Benjamin  Franklin.  At  that 
time  a  tidal  wave  of  infidelity  was  sweeping 
over  the  nations.  In  France  the  malign  influence  of 
such  leaders  as  Voltaire  and  Rousseau  was  preparing 
the  way  for  the  unspeakable  horrors  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. One  evening  Franklin,  as  the  guest  of  honour  in 
a  distinguished  company  of  infidels,  was  requested  to 
read  what  he  regarded  as  the  finest  masterpiece  of 
literature.  He  chose  this  Prayer,  introducing  it  as 
"  a  Pindaric  ode."  At  its  conclusion  there  were  ex- 
clamations of  "  Wonderful !  Wonderful !  "  on  every 
side.  "  But  this  is  not  Pindaric,"  they  said,  "  where 
did  you  find  it?"  He  replied  that  it  was  written  by 
an  old  prophet  named  Habakkuk.  "Habakkook? 
Habakkook?"  they  answered;  "we  never  heard  of 
him!" 

Little  wonder  they  had  never  heard  of  him,  since 
the  Bible  was  so  generally  a  forgotten  book  in  those 
days. 

The  words  of  Habakkuk  are  more  than  a  Pindaric 
ode,   more   than   a  stately   masterpiece   of   literature, 

83  / 


a 


84      A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS 

more  than  a  surpassing  outburst  of  dramatic  ora- 
tory: they  are  a  monumental  prayer,  involving 
within  its  narrow  limits  the  whole  philosophy  of  ap- 
\     proach  to  God. 

At  the  outset  the  prophet  is  seen  standing  upon 
a  watch  tower,  "  to  see  what  the  Lord  will  say,  and 
what  he  shall  answer  him."  He  sweeps  the  horizon, 
and  descries  in  the  far  distance  the  approaching  army 
of  the  Chaldeans.  There  is  danger  to  the  Holy  City 
and  no  adequate  provision  to  meet  it. 

i.  He  hears  a  Voice:  the  voice  of  God;  whom  the 
sins  of  a  stifl-necked  people  have  provoked  to  holy 
indignation. 

"  I  heard,"  cries  Habakkuk,  "  and  I  was  afraid !  " 

There  are  times  when  God  speaks,  as  he  did  to 
Elijah  on  Carmel,  in  "  a  still,  small  voice,"  full  of 
peace  and  comfort  and  hope;  and  again  with  a  voice 
like  the  portentous  roll  of  thunder.  So  we  are  hear- 
ing it  in  these  terrible  days  when  half  the  world  is  on 
the  firing  line.  Louder  than  the  controversies  of 
nations,  louder  than  the  footfall  of  advancing  armies, 
louder  than  the  clash  of  steel  and  roll  of  heavy  artillery 
is  the  voice  of  an  indignant  God. 

Who  is  not  afraid?  Let  the  nations  tremble  and 
all  the  earth  keep  silence  before  him! 

2.  The  prophet  falls  upon  his  knees.  What  else 
could  he  do? 

"  O  Lord,"  he  cries,  "  revive  thy  work  in  the  midst 
of  the  years,  in  the  midst  of  the  years  make  known; 
in  wrath  remember  mercy !  " 

How  little  he  knows  the  issues  that  are  involved 
in  that  plea. 

It  is  an  awful  thing  to  pray.    The  child  that  kneels 


A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS      85 

beside  its  trundle-bed  at  night,  saying,  "  Now  I  lay  me 
down  to  sleep:  I  pray  the  Lord  my  soul  to  keep," 
touches  a  live  wire  that  connects  this  old  sin-cursed 
world  of  ours  with  the  dynamo  of  the  universe.  It 
is  a  stupendous  thing  to  touch  it. 

We  are  praying  just  now  that  God  will  make  an 
end  of  the  horrors  of  war.  He  will  answer;  but  he 
reserves  the  right  to  answer  in  his  own  way.  His 
thoughts  are  not  our  thoughts,  nor  are  his  ways  our 
ways.  The  map  of  the  world  may  be  changed  in 
answer  to  these  prayers  of  ours  for  the  Truce  of  God. 

I  have  been  spending  a  week  in  the  forests  of 
Maine.  In  the  inns  by  the  crossroads  at  evening 
I  have  seen  the  farmers  gathering  in  groups  and  set- 
tling the  affairs  of  the  embattled  nations  as  if  they 
knew  precisely  how  to  do  it. 

I  have  attended  from  year  to  year  the  Peace  Con- 
ferences at  Lake  Mohonk  where  the  wise  men  and 
women  of  the  nation  have  come  together  in  the  inter- 
est of  international  comity.  A  little  while  ago  we 
were  confident  that  there  would  never  be  another  war. 
An  arbitral  Court  was  to  be  established  at  the  Hague 
for  the  settlement  of  all  international  disputes :  and  it 
was  a  foregone  conclusion  that  there  could  be  no  fur- 
ther resort  to  arms.  Alas,  "the  best  laid  plans  of  mice 
and  men  gang  aft  aglee." 

Have  we  been  leaving  God  out  of  the  reckoning? 
He  stands  within  the  shadow  keeping  his  own  coun- 
sel. The  world,  indeed,  is  moving  on  toward  a  final, 
righteous  and  universal  peace ;  but  how,  or  when,  or  by 
what  unexpected  and  fearful  cataclysms,  is  for  him  to 
say. 

Not  a  prayer  that  ascends  from  the  sanctuary  or  the 


86     A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS 

trysting  place  is  unheard;  nevertheless  when  he  an- 
swers he  must  needs  answer  like  a  God. 

3.    But  here  we  note  an  interruption. 

"  The  man  who  kneels  yonder  on  the  watch  tower 
is  little  better  than  a  fool,"  some  say,  "  if  he  expects 
the  infinite  God  to  turn  aside  from  the  calm  enforce- 
ment of  his  rigid  laws  and  disarrange  the  machinery  of 
the  universe  to  hear  his  prayer  and  answer  it"  Is 
that  so? 

Not  long  ago  an  engineer  was  speeding  a  passenger 
train  through  the  Water  Gap,  when  he  saw  something 
that  forced  his  hand  to  the  lever.  It  was  a  woman, 
running  from  a  cottage  door  with  both  her  hands  up- 
lifted, screaming  to  him.  A  moment  later,  as  the 
locomotive  swept  around  a  curve,  a  little  child  was 
seen  playing  heedlessly  between  the  rails.  Stop  the 
train  ?    Surely ! 

That  is  what  God  sees  and  hears  every  moment  of 
every  day.  Nor  is  there  any  machinery  of  his  which 
does  not  allow  for  such  uplifted  hands  and  such  agon- 
izing cries.  Is  it  to  be  supposed  that  his  wisdom  is 
less  or  his  heart  harder  than  ours  ?  "  Ye  do  err,  not 
knowing  the  power  of  God." 

To  your  knees,  therefore,  and  up  with  your  hearts ! 
He  is  the  hearer  and  answerer  of  prayer. 

"  More  things  are  wrought  by  prayer 
Than  this  world  dreams  of.    Wherefore,  let  thy  voice 
Rise  like  a  fountain  night  and  day. 
For  what  are  men  better  than  sheep  or  goats 
That  nourish  a  blind  life  within  the  brain, 
If,  knowing  God,  they  lift  not  hands  of  prayer 
Both  for  themselves  and  those  who  call  them  friend ?t 
For  so  the  whole  round  world  is  every  way 
Bound  by  gold  chains  about  the  feet  of  God." 


A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS      87 

Let  it  never  be  forgotten,  however,  that  God  must 
answer  for  himself :  not  always  according  to  our  way 
of  thinking,  but  in  his  own  wise  time  and  way. 

4.   And  here  he  comes. 

God  to  the  rescue !  The  man  on  the  watch  tower  is 
heard  and  answered  after  a  method  more  wonderful 
than  his  wildest  dream. 

Behold  the  triumphal  march !  "  God  comes  from 
Teman  and  the  Holy  One  from  Paran."  The  valley 
of  the  Arabah,  between  those  mountains,  with  thun- 
dering Sinai  in  its  midst,  is  in  commotion.  The 
heavens  are  suffused  with  glory;  sun  and  moon  stand 
still  in  their  habitations;  the  deep  lifts  up  its  billowy 
hands  to  greet  the  mighty  One.  The  mountains  trem- 
ble and  the  perpetual  hills  are  bowed.  God  rides  upon 
his  chariot  of  salvation,  his  naked  bow  in  hand  and 
arrow  drawn  to  its  head.  Before  him  goeth  the 
pestilence  and  burning  coals  are  under  his  feet.  Light 
radiates  from  his  hands  like  horns  of  power.  He 
stands  and  measures  the  earth !  The  tents  of  Cushan 
and  Midian  are  shaken  as  by  a  whirlwind.  The  heads 
of  the  Great  Powers  are  stripped  even  to  their  stub- 
born necks.  They  said  "  Let  us  break  his  bands  asun- 
der and  cast  away  his  cords  from  us ! "  He  laughs 
and  holds  them  in  derision. 

Why  all  this  commotion? 

This  is  God's  answer  to  the  prayer  of  the  man  on 
the  watch  tower,  "O  Lord,  revive  thy  work;  in  the 
midst  of  the  years  make  known;  in  wrath  remember 
mercy." 

We  are  praying  for  peace.  Back  of  that  is  the 
great  prayer,  "  Thy  Kingdom  come."  This  is  the 
immemorial  plea  of  all  God's  people.    But  as  we  make 


88      A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS 

that  prayer  let  us  remember  that  God  reserves  the 
right  to  answer  in  his  own  wise  way.  If  he  come 
with  bow  and  arrow,  the  pestilence  before  him  and 
coals  of  fire  under  his  feet,  so  be  it.  We  must  take 
the  consequences  of  our  supplication.  The  coming  of 
God's  Kingdom  may  involve  the  overturning  of  all 
other  kingdoms  in  fire  and  blood. 

"The  Lord  our  God  is  clothed  with  might, 
The  winds  obey  his  will. 
He  speaks  and  in  the  heavenly  height 
The  rolling  sun  stands  still. 

"  Ye  nations  bend  !     In  reverence  bend ! 
Ye  monarchs  wait  his  nod! 
And  bid  the  choral  song  ascend 
To  celebrate  our  God." 

We  have  offered  our  prayer  and  in  the  commotion 
of  the  nations  the  Lord  is  answering  us.  The  prayers 
of  all  the  centuries,  the  prayers  of  Washington  at 
Valley  Forge,  the  prayers  of  Lincoln  after  Gettysburg, 
the  prayers  of  the  little  people  at  their  trundle-beds; 
innumerable  prayers  for  peace  and,  above  all,  for 
the  coming  of  the  Kingdom  and  the  universal  and 
perpetual  truce ;  all  these  have  gone  up  to  high  heaven 
and  the  Lord  is  taking  the  petitioners  at  their  word. 
He  comes  from  Teman  and  Paran  with  stupendous 
glory  to  bring  in  the  Golden  Age.  The  world  is  con- 
vulsed at  his  approach.  The  rebellious  nations  are 
shrieking  the  Hymn  of  Hate.  But  God  stands  "  meas- 
uring " :  and  their  wrath  shall  yet  praise  him. 

On  the  darkest  day  of  our  Civil  War,  March  ist, 
1864,  General  Grant  was  made  Commander  in  Chief 
of  the  American  Army.     He  was  instructed  to  com- 


A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS      89 

bine  all  our  scattered  and  disorganized  forces  and 
conquer  peace  at  any  cost.  In  pursuance  of  that 
order  he  thrust  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of 
men  into  a  blazing  chasm;  and  then,  standing  amid 
the  rising  clouds  of  battle,  he  said,  "  Let  us  have 
peace."  As  we  look  backward  now  through  the  vista 
of  the  years  it  is  plain  to  be  seen  that,  frightful  as 
was  the  price  we  paid,  the  outcome  was  worth  it. 

So  will  our  children  review  the  carnage  of  these 
days  and  say,  "  God  knew  best."  If  the  wrath  of 
men  and  nations  must  need  exhaust  itself  in  war,  far 
better  have  it  burn  itself  out  in  one  awful  conflagra- 
tion than  continue  through  more  and  more  weary  cen- 
turies in  a  running  fire  of  perpetual  strife. 

If  only,  when  this  is  over,  the  world  shall  see  the 
utter  absurdity  of  arms  and  armament! 

If  only  it  shall  be  proven  beyond  peradventure  that, 
from  the  mere  economic  standpoint,  peace  is  cheaper 
than  war! 

If  only  the  beatitude  of  the  great  Peacemaker  shall 
descend  and  forever  rest  upon  us! 

The  like  was  never  seen.  Half  the  world  and  more 
on  the  thin  red  line.  "  Gog  and  Magog  to  the  fray !  " 
But  the  Lord  knows  how  to  manage  the  affairs  of  this 
world  and,  whether  we  like  his  way  of  doing  things 
or  not,  we  shall  have  to  leave  the  issue  with  him. 

I  have  said  it  is  an  awful  thing  to  pray.  Neverthe- 
less, let  us  pray  on !  Let  us  get  right  with  God  and 
keep  in  touch  with  him.  Let  us  bring  all  our  plans 
and  purposes  into  harmony  with  his.  Let  us  be  will- 
ing to  take  the  responsibilities  involved  in  prayer; 
knowing  that  the  God  of  infinite  wisdom  will  answer 
wisely  and  well ;  and  saying  ever  "  Thy  will  be  done !  " 


90      A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS 

Moreover,  let  every  prayer  of  ours,  like  that  of 
Habakkuk,  close  with  an  Amen  of  confidence: 

"Though  the  fig-tree  shall  not  flourish, 
Though  no  fruit  be  in  the  vines, 
Though  the  labour  of  the  olive  fail 
And  the  fields  yield  no  food; 
Though  the  flock  be  cut  off  from  the  fold, 
And  there  be  no  herd  in  the  stall; 
Yet  will  I  rejoice  in  the  Lord 
And  joy  in  the  God  of  my  salvation." 

On  a  dark  night  the  disciples  of  Christ  were  caught 
in  a  terrific  storm  on  the  Sea  of  Galilee.  In  vain  did 
they  labour  at  the  oars.  Would  that  the  Master  were 
there  to  quiet  the  storm !  But  alas,  he  was  three  miles 
away ;  and  they  were  at  their  wits'  end.  On  a  sudden 
they  saw  Him,  walking  on  the  crested  billows  and 
drawing  near;  but  they  knew  him  not.  They  sup- 
posed it  to  be  a  spectre :  and  "  they  were  affrighted." 
How  often  he  comes  to  us  thus,  answering  our  prayers 
in  some  unexpected  guise.  Far  more  frightful  than 
the  storm  is  the  spectral  Presence  in  the  midst  of  it. 
But  listen ;  "  Be  not  afraid ;  it  is  I ! " 

It  is  a  true  saying,  "  God's  in  his  heaven ;  all's  right 
with  the  world."  We  mark  his  stately  steppings  in  the 
progress  of  the  ages. 

In  Lauderdale's  Version  this  Prayer  of  Habakkuk 
is  entitled,  "  I  sing  the  Warrior  and  his  mighty  deeds." 

From  the  protevangel  at  the  gateway  of  Paradise  he 
moves  along  the  centuries  to  the  final  strife  at 
Armageddon  and  "  the  restitution  of  all  things." 

Wars  and  rumours  of  wars  are  incidents  made  nec- 
essary by  the  wrath  of  men :  but  all  are  subsidized 
to  the  final  issue,  "  the  one  supreme  divine  event  to 


A  PRAYER  THAT  SHOOK  THE  HILLS      91 

which  the  whole  creation  moves " ;  namely,  the 
triumph  of  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

Never  has  God's  hand  in  history  been  more  manifest 
than  now.  Some  hundreds  of  millions  of  people  have 
been  kneeling  at  the  threshold  of  every  opening  day  to 
ask  of  God  that  his  will  "  may  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is 
in  heaven."  His  answer  to  that  prayer  is  heard  in  the 
roar  of  ten  thousand  cannon  on  the  firing  line.  Shall 
we  murmur  if  he  takes  us  at  our  word  ?  Nay,  rather, 
let  us  listen  like  Elijah  with  our  faces  between  our 
knees  until  we  catch  the  undertone  of  prophecy  which 
assures  the  coming  of  a  brighter  and  better  day. 

And  meanwhile,  let  no  happening,  however  porten- 
tous, disturb  our  faith.  It  is  written,  "  Thou  will  keep 
him  in  perfect  peace  whose  mind  is  stayed  on  thee." 

No  storm  can  rage  so  furiously  as  to  drown  the 
majestic  voice  of  him  who  rules  the  winds  and  waves : 
"Fear  not;  it  is  I." 


X 


THE  BELLS  OF  BETHLEHEM 
(A  Christmas  Sermon) 

"  For  unto  us  a  child  is  born,  unto  us  a  son  is  given,  and  the 
government  shall  be  upon  his  shoulder. 

And  his  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the 
mighty  God,  the  everlasting  Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace. 

Of  the  increase  of  his  government  and  peace  there  shall  be 
no  end,  upon  the  throne  of  David  and  upon  his  kingdom,  to 
Order  it  and  to  establish  it  with  judgment  and  with  justice 
from  henceforth  even  for  ever. 

The  zeal  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  will  perform  this." — Isaiah 
9 : 6-7. 

THE  Word  of  the  Lord  is  yea  and  amen.  When 
he  told  Adam,  who  had  been  beguiled  by  the 
serpent,  that  the  Seed  of  Woman  would  come 
in  the  fulness  of  time  to  bruise  the  serpent's  head,  he 
meant  it.  But  the  years  dragged  their  slow  length 
along  until  centuries  had  passed,  and  still  he  came  not. 
The  shadows  deepened  into  an  Egyptian  night.  All 
open  vision  ceased  and  the  lights  went  out.  Then 
Isaiah  rang  the  chimes  of  prophecy  with  a  gladsome 
sound. 

THE  FIRST  NOTE 

"  His  name  shall  be  called  Wonderful."  Wonder- 
ful in  his  birth ;  as  it  is  written,  "  Great  is  the  mys- 
tery of  godliness,  God  is  manifest  in  flesh :  the  angels 
desire  to  look  into  it."     Who  shall  explain  the  inter- 


THE  BELLS  OF  BETHLEHEM  93 

weaving  of  Deity  and  humanity,  as  warp  and  woof,  in 
the  fabric  of  this  Child  wrapped  in  swaddling-bands 
and  lying  in  a  manger? 

Wonderful  in  his  life — a  life  briefly  comprehended 
in  this  monograph,  "  He  went  about  doing  good  " — 
a  life  so  blameless  that  he  who  lived  it  could  chal- 
lenge the  world  to  lay  anything  to  his  charge — a  life  so 
immortal  that  its  influence  along  the  centuries  shines 
brighter  and  brighter  unto  the  perfect  day. 

Wonderful  is  his  death;  for  never  man  died  like 
this  Man.  He  tasted  death  not  for  himself  but  for 
every  man.  He  was  innocent  of  sin,  yet  he  bore  the 
burden  of  the  world's  sin  until  his  great  heart  broke 
under  it. 

Wonderful  in  his  resurrection;  for  by  the  power 
of  an  indwelling  life  he  triumphed  over  the  King 
of  Terrors  and,  ascending  up  on  high,  took  captivity 
captive  that  he  might  forevermore  give  gifts  unto 
men. 

Wonderful — most  wonderful — in  his  life  after 
death;  for  now  he  sitteth  upon  his  throne  high  and 
lifted  up,  directing  the  course  of  current  events.  "  Is 
it  not  amazing,"  said  Napoleon,  "  that  whereas  the 
ambitious  dreams  of  Caesar  and  Alexander  and  my- 
self should  have  vanished  into  thin  air,  a  mere  Judaean 
peasant  should  be  able  to  stretch  a  dead  hand  across 
the  centuries  and  control  the  destinies  of  nations  and 
the  children  of  men  ?  n 

THE  SECOND   NOTE 

"  His  name  shall  be  called  Counsellor."  That  is 
to  say,  he  shall  answer  the  world's  need  of  counsel. 
And  what  do  men  want  but  to  know  the  way — the  way 


94  THE  BELLS  OF  BETHLEHEM 

of  truth  and  righteousness — the  way  back  to  God  ?  If 
ever  thou  standest  at  the  crossroads,  unable  to  dis- 
cern betwixt  the  worse  and  better  reason,  behold,  thou 
shalt  hear  a  Voice  behind  thee  saying,  "  This  is  the 
way,  walk  ye  in  it."  And  if  thou  knowest  not  the 
Voice,  remember  the  words  of  the  Lord  Jesus  how  he 
said,  "  I  am  the  way,  and  the  truth  and  the  life ;  no 
man  cometh  unto  the  Father  but  by  me." 

THE  THIRD   NOTE 

"  His  name  shall  be  called  the  mighty  God."  We 
shall  never  see  God  except  as  he  has  revealed  him- 
self in  his  only  begotten  Son.  When  Moses  desired 
to  see  the  divine  glory  he  hid  himself  in  a  cleft  of 
the  rock  and  saw  nothing,  heard  nothing  but  the  rustle 
of  a  garment  as  the  Lord  passed  by.  Come  now  to 
Bethlehem  and  behold  the  hiding  of  infinite  strength ! 
Is  proof  demanded  of  the  Godhood  of  Jesus?  Leave 
that  to  the  theologians.  For  us  the  breaking  of  the  day 
requires  no  proof.  It  is  enough  that  the  joy  of  the 
morning  quivers  in  the  air,  that  the  time  of  the  sing- 
ing of  birds  is  come,  that  the  eastern  sky  is  radiant 
with  advancing  light,  that  the  world  grows  brighter 
under  the  influence  of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness  with 
every  passing  hour. 

THE  FOURTH   NOTE 

"  His  name  shall  be  called  the  everlasting  Father." 
How  then  shall  he  be  the  only  begotten  Son?  In 
the  mystery  of  the  ineffable  Trinity  there  are  not 
three  Gods  but  three  persons  in  one :  and  Jesus  is 
"  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  bodily."  As  Ulysses, 
returning  from  the  wars,  unbuckled  his  armour  that 


THE  BELLS  OF  BETHLEHEM  95 

his  children  might  recognize  him,  so  the  Father  un- 
veils himself  in  the  person  of  Christ.  "  Show  us  the 
Father,"  said  Philip,  "  and  it  sufficeth  us."  And 
Jesus  said,  "  Have  I  been  so  long  time  with  you  and 
yet  hast  thou  not  known  me,  Philip?  He  that  hath 
seen  me  hath  seen  the  Father.  How  sayest  thou 
then,  '  Show  us  the  Father  ? '  Believest  thou  not  that 
I  am  in  the  Father  and  the  Father  in  me  ? " 

THE  FIFTH   NOTE 

"  And  his  name  shall  be  called  the  Prince  of  Peace.,, 
His  Gospel  is  the  Gospel  of  Reconciliation;  of  recon- 
ciliation between  God  and  man  by  the  blotting  out  of 
sin,  and  of  man  with  his  fellow  men  by  the  Golden 
Rule  which  is  destined  to  bring  in  the  Golden  Age. 
How,  then,  after  the  lapse  of  nineteen  centuries, 
should  the  nations  be  arrayed  against  each  other? 
The  day  never  dawns  with  a  sunburst.  In  due  time  he 
that  shall  come  will  come  and  will  make  no  tarrying. 
But  the  way  to  ultimate  peace  is  over  many  a  bloody 
field.  "  I  am  come,"  said  Jesus,  "  not  to  bring  peace 
but  a  sword  " — a  sword  that  shall  ever  leap  from  its 
scabbard  when  the  beacons  of  justice  and  humanity  are 
kindled  on  the  hills.  Progress  is  a  fact,  and  history 
is  not  a  closed  book.  We  can  afford  to  wait.  Mean- 
while the  royal  standards  onward  go. 

THE  SIXTH   NOTE 

It  was  seven  hundred  years  before  the  bells  were 
heard  again.  Then  clear  and  resonant  they  rang  out. 
"  His  name  shall  be  called  Jesus !  " 

In  Bethlehem  of  Judea  a  mother  is  crooning  a 
lullaby  to  her  Child  lying  in  a  manger.     This  is  the 


96  THE  BELLS  OF  BETHLEHEM 

long-looked- for  Messiah,  "  whom  kings  and  prophets 
longed  to  see  and  died  without  the  sight."  The  nam- 
ing has  been  arranged  for.  The  angel  of  the  annuncia- 
tion said,  "  His  name  shall  be  called  Jesus,  because 
he  shall  save  his  people  from  their  sins."  The  five 
prophetic  names — Wonderful,  Counsellor,  mighty  God, 
everlasting  Father  and  Prince  of  Peace  are  here  rolled 
into  one. 

"There  is  no  name  so  sweet  on  earth, 
No  name  so  sweet  in  heaven, 
The  name  before  his  wondrous  birth 
To  Christ  the  Saviour  given." 

By  virtue  of  his  office  as  Saviour  "  the  government 
is  upon  his  shoulder."  The  picture  is  of  an  oriental 
sovereign  bearing  the  keys  as  the  symbol  of  a  rightful 
reign.  And  with  this  investiture  comes  a  great  prom- 
ise, "  Of  the  increase  of  his  government  there  shall 
be  no  end," — a  promise  which  is  abundantly  verified 
by  the  logic  of  events.  There  has  never  been  a  year 
nor  a  day  since  the  advent  of  Christ  that  has  not  wit- 
nessed such  an  increase  of  his  authority.  At  that 
time  all  Christendom  was  embraced  in  a  little  patch 
of  sunlight  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Mediterranean, 
which  has  widened  in  the  process  of  the  years  until  it 
covers  the  whole  civilized  world.  The  feeble  band  of 
five  hundred  that  gathered  on  the  Mount  of  Ascension 
has  multiplied  into  some  hundreds  of  millions;  and 
others  are  continually  falling  in. 

But  "  the  end  is  not  yet."  God  moves  in  great 
cycles  of  time.  With  him  one  day  is  as  a  thousand 
years.  Wherefore  after  the  lapse  of  nineteen  cen- 
turies we  are  still  waiting — waiting  and  crying,  "  How 


THE  BELLS  OF  BETHLEHEM  97 

long,  O  Lord,  how  long  ? "    But  he  that  believeth  shall 
not  make  haste.     Listen! 

THE  SEVENTH  NOTE 

"  His  name  shall  be  called  King  of  kings  and  Lord 
of  lords !  " 

Have  you  heard  it,  sounding  loud  and  clear  above 
the  roar  of  the  world's  artillery?  Blessed  are  they 
who  can  interpret  the  signs  of  these  troublous  times! 
It  would  appear  that  the  war  in  which  the  nations 
are  now  engaged  marks  the  beginning  of  the  end.  The 
Prince  of  Peace  leads  his  white  battalions  against  the 
hosts  of  darkness.  It  is  truth  against  error,  justice 
against  oppression,  humanity  against  frightfulness, 
Christ  against  the  prince  of  the  power  of  the  air.  And 
the  end  may  be  seen  from  the  beginning:  for  "his 
Kingdom  shall  be  established  in  justice  from  hence- 
forth even  forever !  " 

Where  shall  we  look  for  an  authentication  of  this 
hope  ?  "  The  seal  of  the  Lord  of  Hosts  shall  perform 
it."  This  zeal,  literally  "  the  burning  "  of  the  Lord, — 
is  witnessed  in  every  battle  waged  today.  The  God 
of  justice  is  vindicating  his  right  to  reign  from  the 
river  unto  the  ends  of  the  earth.  The  Great  Powers 
totter  to  their  fall.  The  smoke  of  Armageddon  will 
presently  be  dissipated  and  we  shall  see,  inscribed  in 
letters  of  fire  across  the  skies,  the  name  that  was  writ- 
ten on  the  swaddling-bands  of  the  Child  of  Bethlehem, 
"  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords/' 

The  conviction  of  the  ancients  that  the  problems 
of  history  are  insoluble  was  embodied  in  the  grim 
statue  of  the  Sphinx  looking  down  with  bewildered 
eyes  on  caravans  moving  out  through  the  desert  into 


98  THE  BELLS  OF  BETHLEHEM 

the  unknown.  One  of  the  masterpieces  of  French  art, 
called  "  The  Repose  in  Egypt,"  represents  the  virgin- 
mother  at  night  resting  in  the  arms  of  the  Sphinx 
with  the  divine  Child  asleep  on  her  bosom.  But  today 
we  have  another  vision  of  that  Child,  awaking  not 
only  to  solve  the  problems  of  history  but  to  claim  his 
own.     Here  is  what  Isaiah  saw: 

"  Who  is  this  that  cometh  from  Bozrah ;  this  that 
is  glorious  in  his  apparel,  travelling  in  the  greatness 
of  his  strength  ?  " 

"  I  that  speak  in  righteousness,  mighty  to  save !  " 

"  Wherefore  art  thou  red  in  thine  apparel,  as  one 
that  treadeth  the  wine-press  ?  " 

"  I  have  trodden  the  wine-press  alone,  and  of  the 
people  there  was  none  with  me!  I  looked,  and  there 
was  none  to  help ;  therefore  mine'  own  arm  brought 
salvation !  " 

This  is  the  Lord  who  bringeth  salvation  today ;  and 
the  world  trembles  at  his  coming.  Listen  and  you 
shall  hear  the  Bells  of  Bethlehem  ringing  out  for  his 
coronation;  and  behold,  all  principalities  and  powers 
shall  bring  their  honour  and  their  glory  unto 
him. 

The  path  of  progress  must  needs  be  over  an 
undulating  country;  but  it  leads  right  on  to  the 
Golden  Age.  Wherefore  let  the  sons  of  Asaph 
raise  the  tune,  "  Joy  to  the  world,  the  Lord  is 
come !  " 

Laugh  on,  O  children,  at  your  happy  firesides: 
dance  round  the  Tree  of  Gifts,  and  lead  your  elders 
in  the  service  of  praise.  Noel !  Noel !  Let  hope 
revive  beneath  the  lurid  skies  and  faith  discern  the 
coming  of  the  Truce  of  God. 


THE  BELLS  OF  BETHLEHEM  99 


"  Ring  out  wild  bells,  to  the  wild  sky ! 

"  Ring  out  the  old,  ring  in  the  new ! 
Ring  out  the  false,  ring  in  the  true! 

"Ring  out  old  shapes  of  foul  disease, 
Ring  out  the  narrowing  lust  of  gold; 
Ring  out  the  thousand  wars  of  old, 
Ring  in  the  thousand  years  of  peace. 

"  Ring  in  the  valiant  man  and  free, 
The  larger  heart,  the  kindlier  hand, 
Ring  out  the  darkness  of  the  land, 
Ring  in  the  Christ  that  is  to  be." 


XI 
LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD 

"  And  Jesus  answering  said,  A  certain  man  went  down  from 
Jerusalem  to  Jericho,  and  fell  among  thieves,  which  stripped 
him  of  his  raiment,  and  wounded  him,  and  departed,  leaving 
him  half  dead. 

And  by  chance  there  came  down  a  certain  priest  that  way; 
and  when  he  saw  him,  he  passed  by  on  the  other  side. 

And  likewise  a  Levite,  when  he  was  at  the  place,  came  and 
looked  on  him,  and  passed  by  on  the  other  side. 

But  a  certain  Samaritan,  as  he  journeyed,  came  where  he 
was ;  and  when  he  saw  him,  he  had  compassion  on  him. 

And  went  to  him,  and  bound  up  his  wounds,  pouring  in 
oil  and  wine,  and  set  him  on  his  own  beast,  and  brought  him 
to  an  inn,  and  took  care  of  him. 

And  on  the  morrow  when  he  departed,  he  took  out  two 
pence,  and  gave  them  to  the  host,  and  said  unto  him,  Take 
care  of  him :  and  whatsoever  thou  spendest  more,  when  I 
come  again,  I  will  repay  thee. 

Which  now  of  these  three,  thinkest  thou,  was  neighbour 
unto  him  that  fell  among  the  thieves? 

And  he  said,  He  that  shewed  mercy  on  him.  Then  said 
Jesus  unto  him,  Go,  and  do  thou  likewise." — Luke  io  :  30-27. 

THE  way  the  so-called  "  Parable  of  the  Good 
Samaritan  "  happened  to  be  spoken  was  this : 
A  certain  lawyer  (by  which  is  meant  not 
a  barrister,  but  an  expert  in  the  Mosaic  law)  came 
to  Jesus  with  the  purpose  of  "  tempting  "  him  or  put- 
ting him  to  the  test,  asking  what  he  should  do  in 
order  to  inherit  eternal  life. 

300 


LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD        101 

The  Lord  thereupon  directed  his  attention  to 
the  shema,  or  "  frontlet  between  his  eyes,"  on  which 
were  written  the  two  great  commandments,  say- 
ing, "  What  is  written  in  the  Law ;  how  readest 
thou  ?" 

The  man's  answer  was  in  the  words  of  his  frontlet, 
"  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart 
and  with  all  thy  soul  and  with  all  thy  mind;  and  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself." 

Jesus  said,  "  Thou  hast  answered  right ;  this  do  and 
thou  shalt  live  " ;  which  was  in  accordance  with  the 
covenant  of  works,  "  He  that  doeth  the  law  shall  live 
by  it." 

But  the  lawyer  was  not  satisfied.  His  conscience 
was  apparently  clear  so  far  as  his  relations  with  God 
were  concerned,  but  he  was  not  so  clear  about  his 
relations  with  his  fellowmen.  As  a  loyal  Jew  he 
recognized  no  special  obligation  to  any  who  did  not 
belong  to  the  household  of  faith.  Wherefore,  "  wish- 
ing to  justify  himself,"  he  asked,  "  But  who  is  my 
neighbour  ?  " 

Then  Christ  told  this  story  of  the  Waylaid  Traveller; 
in  which  he  cleverly  turned  the  tables  on  his  questioner 
by  answering  not  the  question  "  Who  is  my  neigh- 
bour?" but  the  vastly  broader  one  which  lies  at  the 
centre  of  all  true  philanthropy,  "  Whose  neighbour 
ami?" 

This  is  usually  spoken  of  as  a  Parable ;  but  there  is 
no  sufficient  reason  for  so  regarding  it.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  sounds  like  an  account  of  an  actual  occur- 
rence. Had  there  been  a  daily  newspaper  in  Jeru- 
salem the  incident  would  probably  have  been  an- 
nounced in  such  headlines  as  these: 


102        LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD 

VIOLENCE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD. 

A  TRAVELLER  WAYLAID  AND  ROBBED. 

HE  IS  BEATEN  AND  LEFT  FOR  DEAD. 

But  whether  we  regard  this  as  a  parable  or  not,  it  is 
clearly  an  apologue  of  life.  We  are  introduced  to  four 
men  who  started  out  on  the  Jericho  Road  on  the  event- 
ful day  referred  to. 

The  first  is  the  Traveller.  He  started  on  his  jour- 
ney alone;  and  he  should  have  known  better,  for  the 
road  from  Jerusalem  to  Jericho  was  proverbially  a 
dangerous  one.  It  was  called,  and  is  still  called,  "  The 
Bloody  Way."  A  portion  of  it  runs  through  an  ancient 
river-bed,  a  deep  ravine  with  caves  and  inaccessible 
cliffs  furnishing  lurking  places  for  banditti.  Ali  Babi 
and  his  forty  thieves  are  there.  No  prudent  footman 
ventures  on  that  road  without  a  dragoman  and  band  to 
safeguard  him.  But  this  traveller  went  unattended; 
and  it  was  a  foregone  conclusion  that  he  would  be 
robbed  along  the  way. 

The  highroad  of  life  runs  through  like  dangers.  Its 
most  lamentable  tragedies  are  due  to  the  rejection  of 
the  divine  Guide  and  the  inspired  Guide-book.  How 
many  have  thus  fallen  among  thieves,  to  find  them- 
selves despoiled  of  their  faith  by  false  teachers  and 
of  their  character  by  tempters  and  temptresses  lying 
in  wait  for  the  unwary.  When  one's  Bible  is  lost  and 
his  habit  of  prayer  and  his  good  conscience  he  is  in- 
deed "  down  and  out." 

But  how  does  this  concern  us  as  followers  of  Christ? 
Are  we  responsible?  "Am  I  my  brother's  keeper?" 
Surely.    This  is  our  high  calling;  to  seek  and  to  save 


LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD        103 

the  lost,  to  rescue  the  perishing,  to  do  good  as  we 
have  opportunity  unto  all  men. 

The  second  man  on  the  highway  is  the  Clergyman. 
Here  he  comes.  "  And  by  chance  there  came  down 
a  certain  priest  that  way."  He  probably  had  an  ap- 
pointment to  preach  in  the  Temple  and  if  so,  after  the 
manner  of  preachers,  he  was  doubtless  meditating  on 
what  he  should  say. 

"  And  when  he  saw  the  wounded  traveller,  he  passed 
by  on  the  other  side."  The  word  "  saw  "  indicates  a 
passing  glance.  Had  it  suited  his  convenience  he 
would  no  doubt  have  ministered  to  the  necessity  of 
this  man ;  but  the  sound  of  a  ramshorn  in  the  distance 
reminded  him  that  he  must  make  haste  to  keep  his 
appointment. 

To  his  mind  the  sermon  was  the  important  thing. 
It  should  have  occurred  to  him  that  a  sermon  is  like 
a  homeopathic  pellet,  which  is  ineffective  unless  dipped 
in  the  mother-tincture.  The  mother-tincture  of 
preaching  is  love ;  as  it  is  written,  "  Love  is  the  ful- 
filling of  the  Law." 

The  third  man  is  the  Elder.  "  A  Levite  likewise, 
when  he  was  at  the  place,  came  and  looked  on  the 
wounded  man  and  passed  by  on  the  other  side." 

The  word  "  looked  "  indicates  more  than  a  passing 
glance.  He  turned  his  gaze  intently  on  the  wounded 
man  and  was  inclined  to  help  him.  But  he  also  was  in 
haste  to  reach  Jerusalem  for  an  assignment.  As  one 
of  the  Levites,  midway  between  the  priesthood  and 
the  people,  it  was  his  business  to  look  after  the  rites 
and  ceremonies.  It  may  be  that  he  was  charged  on 
this  particular  day  with  the  kindling  of  the  lights  of 
the  golden  candlestick.    He  probably  said  in  his  heart, 


104       LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD 

"  I'm  sorry  for  this  poor  fellow ;  but  if  I  touch  him 
as  he  lies  weltering  in  blood  I  shall  be  defiled  for  the 
Temple  service/'  And  when  the  sound  of  the  distant 
ramshorn  fell  upon  his  ear  that  settled  it.  He  must 
hurry  on. 

He  should  have  remembered  however  that  the  prime 
business  of  the  ministry  is  to  minister.  There  is 
nothing  more  important  for  the  eldership  and  the 
diaconate  in  our  Christian  churches  than  to  heed  the 
cry  of  the  unfortunate;  and  the  air  is  vibrant  with 
that  cry.  It  sounds  louder  even  than  the  ringing  of 
the  church  bell. 

The  fourth  man  is  the  Outsider:  as  it  is  written, 
"  A  certain  Samaritan  as  he  journeyed,  when  he  saw 
the  man,  had  compassion  on  him  and  bound  up  his 
wounds  and  brought  him  to  an  inn  and  took  care  of 
him.,, 

The  Jews  "  had  no  dealing  with  the  Samaritans." 
They  did  not  recognize  them  as  belonging  to  the 
household  of  faith.  At  the  time  of  the  Babylonish 
captivity  those  who  were  left  behind  intermarried  with 
the  Assyrians  who  had  been  brought  in  to  occupy  the 
land;  and  the  result  was  a  race  of  half-breeds  who 
were  looked  down  on.  At  the  time  of  the  Restoration 
they  were  not  allowed  to  lend  a  hand  in  the  rebuilding 
of  the  Temple;  not  because  they  did  not  have  the 
same  Bible  or  worship  the  same  God,  but  because  they 
did  not  belong  to  "  the  established  church."  They 
were  regarded  as  "  aliens  from  the  commonwealth  of 
Israel  and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of  promise." 
Such  hide-bound  sectarianism  is  not  wholly  unknown 
in  our  time.  Nevertheless  it  would  appear  that  this 
Samaritan  was  a  truer  son  of  Israel  than  either  the 


LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD        105 

Priest  or  the  Levite,  because  his  heart  beat  responsive 
to  the  divine  love  for  all  the  children  of  men. 

He  not  only  "  saw "  the  wounded  traveller  and 
"  looked  "  on  him  but  he  "  had  compassion  upon  him  " : 
and  his  was  the  practical  sort  of  compassion  which 
takes  the  definite  form  of  helpfulness.  He  put  the 
wounded  traveller  on  his  beast  of  burden  and  carried 
him  to  an  inn  where,  having  paid  the  reckoning,  he 
said  to  the  landlord,  "  Take  care  of  him ;  and  what- 
soever thou  spendest  more,  when  I  come  again  I  will 
repay  thee."  By  this  it  would  appear  that  his  credit 
was  good ;  which  is  what  we  should  expect :  for  a  true 
philanthropist  is  not  only  generous  but  just;  he  is  al- 
ways an  honest  man. 

So  much  for  the  "parable."  Its  practical  point  is 
in  the  closing  words,  "  Go  thou  and  do  likewise." 
There  are  four  reasons  why  we  should  follow  this 
injunction : 

First,  because  we  belong  to  a  universal  fellowship, 
in  which  the  welfare  of  one  should  be  the  interest  of 
all.  By  virtue  of  our  common  birth  we  are  under 
bonds  to  minister  to  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men. 
It  matters  not  whether  they  are,  as  we  say,  deserving 
or  undeserving ;  when  they  suffer  they  have  a  natural 
claim  upon  us. 

In  all  the  world  there  is  none  beyond  the  possibility 
of  restoration.  On  the  shield  of  the  Humane  Society  of 
London  is  the  picture  of  a  child  bending  over  a  dying 
fire  and  breathing  upon  it:  and  above  this  are  the 
words,  Forsitan  scintilla,  "  There  is  perhaps  a  linger- 
ing spark."  No  soul  is  irretrievably  lost  until  the 
great  doors  of  the  outer  darkness  have  closed  behind 
him.     While  there  is  life,  there  is  hope.     The  drabs 


106       LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD 

and  drunkards,  the  thieves  and  ne'er-do-wells  who 
jostle  us  in  the  thronged  streets,  all  have  in  them  a 
lingering  spark  which  may  be  quickened  into  life. 

"  Down  in  the  human  heart, 
Crushed  by  the  tempter, 
Feelings  lie  buried  that  grace  can  restore; 

Touched  by  a  loving  heart, 

Wakened  by  kindness, 
Chords  that  were  broken  will  vibrate  once  more." 

The  second  reason  for  this  sort  of  ministry  lies  in 
the  fact  that  we  profess  to  be  followers  of  Christ. 
He  was  no  respecter  of  persons.  As  he  travelled 
along  the  Bloody  Way  he  ministered  to  all  who  had 
been  waylaid  and  robbed.  Thieves  and  magdalenes 
were  not  ruled  out.  In  this  he  was  distinctly  at  odds 
with  the  Jews,  whose  only  neighbours  were  their  fel- 
low Jews ;  and  equally  with  the  Greeks,  in  whose  phi- 
losophy all  but  themselves  were  characterized  as  "  bar- 
barians." Their  conception  of  neighbourliness  was 
indicated  in  the  concentric  circles  of  Hierocles.  The 
innermost  of  these  circles  was  for  self,  that  is,  "  Look 
out  for  number  one  " ;  the  next  larger  was  for  one's 
household,  that  is,  "  God  bless  me  and  my  wife,  my 
son  John  and  his  wife,  us  four  and  no  more  " ;  the 
next  was  for  the  people  of  Athens;  the  next  for  the 
citizens  of  Greece;  and,  if  anything  was  left  over 
the  outside  world  might  have  it. 

But  this  is  not  according  to  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
Here  we  have  a  new  definition  of  the  word  "  neigh- 
bour." It  does  not  mean  nachbar,  that  is,  the  man  who 
lives  next  door.  Our  neighbour  is  not  the  "  near 
dweller  " ;  he  may  be  a  dweller  at  the  antipodes.  Our 
neighbour  is  the  man  who  needs  us. 


LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD        107 

And  never  was  there  a  better  exemplification  of  this 
definition  than  in  the  life  of  Christ  himself.  He  was 
neighbour  to  every  man.  He  touched  the  leper,  he 
relieved  the  frenzied  demoniac,  he  cheered  the  trou- 
bled soul  of  an  abandoned  woman  with  the  hope  of 
better  things.  There  was  healing  in  the  hem  of  his 
garment,  there  was  comfort  in  the  kindly  glance  of  his 
eye.  He  has  been  painted  by  the  great  masters  with 
a  halo  encircling  his  head  and  hands  crossed  over  a 
bleeding  heart ;  but  what  if  some  artist  could  have 
caught  the  gracious  look  upon  his  face  as  he  passed 
through  the  porches  of  Bethesda,  laying  a  gentle  hand 
upon  the  suffering  and  speaking  a  helpful  word  to 
all! 

His  church  is  a  benevolent  society.  Its  name  ec- 
clesia  is  significant  of  its  vocation.  It  is  "  called  out " 
of  the  world  to  uplift  the  fallen.  No  other  association 
on  earth  has  a  like  commission.  The  State,  if  true  to 
its  function,  puts  up  lights  along  the  windings  of  the 
Bloody  Way  and,  so  far  forth,  furnishes  safeguards 
for  its  travellers;  but  it  does  not  undertake  to  trans- 
form character  or  restore  to  spiritual  life  those  who 
are  dead  in  their  sins.  This  is  the  business  of  the 
Christian  church ;  and  only  such  as  are  in  cordial  sym- 
pathy with  the  philanthropic  Gospel  of  Christ  can 
properly  belong  to  it. 

The  third  reason  for  engaging  in  this  gracious  serv- 
ice is  that  it  qualifies  us  for  Heaven.  The  redeemed 
up  yonder  are  not  wholly  engaged  in  singing  praises 
and  playing  on  golden  harps.  "  Are  they  not  all 
ministering  spirits,  sent  forth  to  minister?"  Where- 
fore, blessed  are  they  who  so  serve  their  apprentice- 
ship here  and  now  that,  when  translated  to  glory,  they 


108        LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD 

may  know  how  to  minister  in  the  name  and  after  the 
manner  of  God's  beloved  Son. 

A  man  wearing  the  uniform  of  the  Salvation  Army- 
was  passing  along  one  of  our  streets  on  a  winter  night, 
twelve  years  ago,  when  he  saw  a  forlorn  fellow,  ill- 
clad  and  far  spent  with  hunger.  He  led  him  to  the 
nearest  barracks  of  the  Salvation  Army  and  saw  that 
he  was  properly  cared  for.  It  turned  out  subse- 
quently that  this  man  was  an  ex-President  of  Nicara- 
gua, who  had  been  waylaid  and  robbed  on  the  Bloody 
Way.  He  soon  disappeared;  but  here  is  the  sequel. 
Two  years  ago  his  helper,  now  a  Major  in  the  Salva- 
tion Army,  was  ordered  by  Commander  Booth  to 
proceed  to  Belgium  and  superintend  the  distribution 
of  the  relief  funds  which  had  been  collected  for  the 
unfortunate  people  there.  But,  notwithstanding  his 
passports,  he  found  it  impossible  to  reach  his  destina- 
tion. He  was  detained  here  and  there  for  many  weeks 
and,  on  reaching  the  boundaries  of  Germany,  he  was 
held  up  as  an  English  spy.  At  this  juncture  the  editor 
of  a  Spanish  newspaper  in  Berlin  happened  to  hear  of 
his  case  and,  by  personal  intercession  with  the  Kaiser, 
secured  for  him  an  exceptional  permit  which  enabled 
him  to  enter  Belgium  and  carry  on  his  relief  work.  It 
turned  out  that  this  influential  friend  was  none  other 
than  the  Nicaraguan  who  had  so  long  been  lost  sight 
of.  Thus  does  bread  cast  upon  the  waters  return  to 
us  again  after  many  days :  and  thus  do  "  little  deeds  of 
kindness  "  pave  the  way  for  larger  deeds  of  kindness 
further  on. 

The  benevolent  tasks  of  heaven  are  for  those  who 
have  familiarized  themselves  with  beneficence  in  this 
present  life.     "  Then  shall  the  King  say,  '  Come,  ye 


LIFE  ON  THE  JERICHO  ROAD        109 

blessed  of  my  father,  inherit  the  Kingdom  prepared 
for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the  world.  For  I  was 
an  hungered  and  ye  gave  me  meat,  I  was  a  stranger 
and  ye  took  me  in,  I  was  sick  and  in  prison  and  ye 
visited  me.  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of 
the  least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it  unto 
me." 

There  is  a  fourth  reason  why  we  should  engage  in 
this  neighbourly  service,  namely,  because  it  safeguards 
the  Bloody  Way  for  other  travellers.  It  is  thus  that 
we  make  our  world  a  better  world  to  live  in.  All  our 
policemen  would  presently  be  off  duty  if  well-disposed 
people  would  only  practise  their  kindly  thoughts.  Let 
us  here  remember  the  inspired  definition  of  religion, 
which  is  "  to  visit  the  fatherless  and  widows  in  their 
affliction,  and  to  keep  oneself  unspotted  from  the 
world." 

In  order  to  keep  oneself  unspotted  from  the  world 
one  must  needs  accept  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  whose 
blood  alone  cleanseth  from  all  sin.  That  done,  noth- 
ing remains  but  to  translate  his  piety  into  generous 
deeds. 

Come  then,  my  friends,  while  we  pursue  the  jour- 
ney of  life  let  us,  as  true  followers  of  Christ,  be 
neighbours  to  all. 


XII 
"  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  " 

"  Ye  have  heard  that  it  hath  been  said,  Thou  shalt  love 
thy  neighbour  and  hate  thine  enemy. 

But  I  say  unto  you,  Love  your  enemies,  bless  them  that 
curse  you,  do  good  to  them  that  hate  you  and  pray  for  them 
that  despitefully  use  you  and  persecute  you;  that  ye  may 
be  the  children  of  your  Father  who  is  in  heaven.  For  he 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  the  good,  and  sendeth 
rain  on  the  just  and  the  unjust. 

For  if  ye  love  them  that  love  you,  what  reward  have  ye? 
Do  not  even  the  publicans  the  same?  And  if  ye  salute  your 
brethren  only,  what  do  ye  more  than  others?  Do  not  even 
the  publicans  so? 

Be  ye  therefore  perfect,  even  as  your  Father  which  is  in 
heaven  is  perfect." — Matt.  5 :  43-48. 

WHO  is  this  that  presumes  to  lift  his  voice 
against    the    teaching    of    "  them    of    old 
time?" 
Behold  a  man  in  homespun  challenging  the  wisdom 
of  the  world  and  the  centuries! 

This  "  I  say  unto  you,"  intimates  either  infinite 
presumption  or  divine  authority.  Which  shall  it  be? 
In  the  logic  of  history  it  appears  that  these  words  of 
the  unaccountable  Man  not  only  went  crashing  like 
a  thunderbolt  through  the  corridors  of  the  past  but 
have  come  down  along  the  passing  centuries  like  the 
rising  of  a  sun  that  is  likely  to  keep  on  shining 
brighter  and  brighter  unto  the  perfect  day. 

110 


"LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES"  111 

Who  is  this  that  presumes  to  formulate  new  policies 
for  nations  and  a  new  rule  of  action  for  all  the  chil- 
dren of  men? 

The  conclusion  is  inevitable.  He  was  either  the 
most  grotesque  charlatan  that  ever  aimlessly  beat  the 
air,  or  else  he  was  what  he  claimed  to  be,  namely,  the 
sovereign  Son  of  God. 

There  is  no  middle  ground  to  stand  on. 

But  who  had  ever  said,  "  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbour  and  hate  thine  enemy  "  ?  You  will  not  find 
it  in  the  Old  Testament,  which  was  the  Bible  of  the 
Jews.  In  the  Levitical  Law  it  is  written,  "  Thou  shalt 
love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself  " ;  but  we  must  search 
elsewhere  for  the  addendum,  "  Thou  shalt  hate  thine 
enemy." 

The  greatest  day  of  the  year  in  Israel — the  Day 
of  Atonement — was  set  apart  for  the  healing  of 
grudges,  the  forgiveness  of  injuries  and  the  right  ad- 
justment of  all  mutual  relations  in  the  interest  of 
peace.  It  is  only  among  the  toldoth  or  "  traditions  of 
the  elders  " — with  which  Jesus  says  the  Scribes  and 
Pharisees  had  "  made  the  Law  to  be  of  none  effect  " — 
that  we  shall  find  any  suggestion  of  personal  hatred 
toward  those  who  have  wronged  us. 

This,  however,  is  the  teaching  of  the  world.  Not 
only  barbarous  tribes  but  even  the  most  civilized  of 
non-Christian  nations  have  been  and  are  ruled  by  the 
lex  talionis,  "  An  eye  for  an  eye,  and  a  tooth  for  a 
tooth  and  burning  for  burning." 

In  the  golden  age  of  learning  in  Greece,  "  mother 
of  arts  and  eloquence,"  a  magnificent  statue  of  Nemesis 
the  goddess  of  vengeance,  was  erected  by  the  Athenians 
in  the  very  midst  of  their  philosophic  schools.     The 


112  "  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  " 

resentment  of  personal  slights  and  the  avenging  of 
personal  wrongs  was  regarded  as  a  matter  of  course. 

It  is  recorded  that  when  Tamerlane  led  an  army 
of  a  hundred  thousand  men  to  reduce  the  city  of 
Bagdad  which  had  offended  him,  he  gave  orders  that 
no  man  should  return  from  the  final  charge  without 
the  trophy  of  a  human  head;  and  his  victory  was 
commemorated  by  a  pyramid  of  skulls. 

Not  long  ago  Bagdad  was  again  besieged  and  taken 
by  the  entente  allies ;  but  no  such  pyramid  was  reared 
beneath  its  walls.  Why  not?  Because  of  something 
that  happened  nineteen  hundred  years  ago. 

We  have  reason  to  lament  a  thousand  deeds  of 
frightfulness  in  the  warfare  of  our  time ;  but  roll 
them  all  together  and  the  record  of  a  single  day  of 
Nero  or  Caligula  will  force  the  conclusion  that  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  has  brought  in  a  better  order  of 
things. 

He  taught  us  to  "  love  our  enemies." 

It  is  easy  enough  to  love  one's  friends:  but  to  love 
those  who  are  bitter  against  us,  there's  the  rub.  Yet 
this  is  imperative  for  those  who  follow  Christ. 

We  may  not  be  able  to  like  them;  indeed  we  are 
under  bonds  not  to  look  with  approval  on  the  un- 
worthy; but  to  love  them  is  quite  another  thing. 

It  may  be  necessary  in  the  interest  of  the  public 
good  that  they  should  be  stood  up  blindfolded  against 
a  wall  and  put  out  of  the  way;  but  with  that,  in  our 
private  capacity,  we  have  nothing  to  do. 

He  taught  us  to  "  bless  them  that  curse  us."  Be- 
hind that  blessing  always  lies  forgiveness;  and  with 
forgiveness  goes  forgetfulness  of  personal  wrongs. 

To  say  "  I  can  forgive  but  not  forget "  is  to  betray 


"  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  "  118 

an  utter  insincerity.  There  is  no  room  for  a  grudging 
pardon  in  the  teaching  of  Christ.  And  Peter  said, 
"  Lord,  how  oft  shall  my  brother  sin  against  me  and 
I  forgive  him  ?  Till  seven  times  ?  "  Jesus  answered, 
"  I  say  unto  you,  not  until  seven  times  but  until 
seventy  times  seven !  "  That  is,  we  are  to  forgive  and 
forget,  without  reserve  and  to  the  very  end. 

He  taught  us  to  "  do  good  to  them  that  hate  us." 

These  words  are  amplified  by  Paul  where  he  says, 
"if  thine  enemy  hunger  feed  him;  if  he  thirst  give 
him  drink ;  for  in  so  doing  thou  shalt  heap  coals  of  fire 
on  his  head."  This  is  a  literal  quotation  from  the 
Proverbs  of  Solomon  which  were  written  a  thousand 
years  before  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era 
(Proverbs  15:20).  In  the  reference  to  "coals  of 
fire  "  there  is  no  suggestion  of  personal  revenge  but 
rather  of  good  will :  for  there  is  no  discipline  like  the 
grace  of  forgiveness,  which  burns  like  purifying  fire 
to  bring  one's  enemy  to  repentance  and  a  better  mind. 

He  taught  us  to  "pray  for  them  that  despitefully 
use  us."  If  one  can  pray  for  his  enemy,  all  else  goes 
with  it.  How  can  a  man  intercede  for  one  at  the 
throne  of  heavenly  grace  and  feel  unkindly  toward 
him? 

In  the  time  of  our  Revolutionary  War  an  old 
Quaker  named  Miller  was  persistently  wronged  by 
one  of  his  Tory  neighbours.  It  chanced  that  this  man 
was  presently  arrested  as  a  spy  and  condemned  to 
death.  The  Quaker  thereupon  made  his  way  to  Wash- 
ington's headquarters  and  interceded  for  him.  The 
General  said,  "  I  should  be  glad,  in  view  of  your  loyal 
services,  to  do  anything  within  reason  for  your  friend, 
but — "    Just  there  the  Quaker  interrupted  him :  "  He 


114  "  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  " 

is  not  my  friend ;  but  I  am  his.  He  has  inflicted  grave 
injuries  upon  me;  but  I  am  a  Christian.  I  have  been 
praying  for  him ;  and  therefore  I  entreat  you  to  spare 
him." 

This  is  "  the  mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  " ;  and 
the  mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  must  also  be  in 
those  who  profess  to  follow  him. 

But  what  becomes  of  justice  in  this  case?  If  all 
wrongs  are  forgiven  would  not  our  social  fabric  be 
at  loose  ends?  Not  at  all.  Justice  must  be  admin- 
istered, but  not  by  you  or  me. 

This  is  a  divine  prerogative.  "  Vengeance  is  mine, 
saith  the  Lord,  I  will  repay."  Righteousness  and 
judgment  are  the  habitation  of  his  throne.  A  day  is 
appointed  when  all  the  obvious  inequalities  in  human 
affairs  shall  be  finally  righted :  and  the  hand  that  holds 
the  scales  will  hold  them  so  evenly  that  in  all  the  uni- 
verse, even  among  those  who  pass  into  outer  darkness, 
there  will  be  no  complaint.  All  will  unite  then  in 
paying  tribute  to  the  even-handed  justice  of  God. 

In  the  meantime  the  administration  of  justice  is 
committed  to  Magistrates  as  the  "  powers  that  be." 
It  is  for  this  that  they  are  "  ordained  of  God." 

The  imprecatory  Psalms  are  in  evidence,  and  such 
other  portions  of  Scripture  as  call  down  vengeance 
upon  the  unrighteous.  It  was  in  their  magisterial 
capacity  that  the  inspired  writers  indicated  with  ap- 
proval the  exact  justice  which  is  certain  to  be  admin- 
istered upon  all  who  impiously  run  upon  the  bosses  of 
the  divine  shield. 

If  the  avengement  of  wrongs  were  a  personal  mat- 
ter what  room  would  there  be  for  the  magisterial  office 
or  for  courts  of  justice? 


"LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  »  115 

It  is  true,  as  Hamlet  says,  that  "  in  the  corrupted 
currents  of  the  world,  Offense's  guilty  hand  doth  often 
shove  by  justice " ;  nevertheless  it  remains  that,  in 
the  interest  of  social  order,  personal  retribution  must 
yield  to  official  arbitrament.  Yet  even  here  love  is 
not  ruled  out.  A  magistrate  may  be  constrained  for 
the  general  good  to  send  a  culprit  to  the  electric  chair ; 
but  in  his  personal  capacity  he  may  and  should  feel 
kindly  towards  him. 

The  judge  who,  in  1849,  passed  sentence  of  death  \ 
on  Professor  Webster  for  a  sanguinary  crime  did  so 
with   tears   running  down   his   cheeks :   "  You   and   I 
were  classmates,"  he  said,  "  but  the  law  must  have  its 
course !  " 

A  nation  like  ours  may  be  forced,  in  the  interest 
of  humanity  and  the  world's  welfare,  to  engage  in 
war:  but  that  does  not  mean  that  our  armies  on  the 
march  should  keep  step  to  the  grim  music  of  the  Hymn 
of  Hate. 

It  is  recorded  that  President  Lincoln  when  looking 
over  the  bloody  field  of  Gettysburg  said  in  a  broken 
voice,  "  This  is  awful — awful, — but  it  must  go 
on!" 

A  soldier  on  the  thin  red  line  may,  in  the  line  of 
military  duty  and  for  the  putting  down  of  evils  which 
menace  the  public  welfare,  aim  a  deadly  shot  at  his 
adversary  without  ceasing  to  love  him. 

So  far  as  we  are  individually  concerned,  however, 
love  and  not  justice  must  control  us.  What  do  we 
know  about  justice  anyway?  Can  we  discern  the 
motives  which  lie  back  of  the  actions  of  men?  "  Who 
knows  the  heart,  'tis  he  alone  decidedly  can  try  us." 

We  always  fail  when  we  undertake  to  administer 


116  "  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  " 

justice  for  the  vindication  of  our  personal  rights;  but 
we  make  no  failures  in  dispensing  love. 

Not  long  ago  I  had  occasion  to  go  into  a  delicates- 
sen store  where  the  German  proprietor,  after  waiting 
on  me  asked  if  I  remembered  how  cheerful  his  wife 
was  when  I  last  saw  her.  "  She  now  lies,"  he  added, 
"  in  the  Lutheran  churchyard.  A  few  days  after  you 
were  here  she  suddenly  lost  her  mind  and  became  so 
violent  that  we  had  to  take  her  to  the  hospital;  and 
now  she's  gone :  and  I  and  my  three  children  are  very, 
very  lonely  without  her."  When  I  asked  how  she  hap- 
pened to  lose  her  mind  he  replied  that  it  was  brooding 
on  the  war  and  on  the  loss  of  former  friends  who 
turned  their  backs  upon  her. 

Alas,  how  true  it  is  that  "  man's  inhumanity  to  man 
makes  countless  thousands  mourn  !  "  And  by  that  fact 
it  becomes  more  and  more  obvious  that,  so  far  as  we 
personally  are  concerned,  "  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  the 
law." 

This  rule  of  action  was  not  emphasized  by  our 
Lord  without  his  giving  good  and  sufficient  reasons 
for  it.  Observe  how  he  placed  the  approval  of  the 
Triune  God  behind  it. 

First:  "  So  shall  ye  be  the  children  of  your  Father 
which  is  in  Heaven."  In  the  distribution  of  the  gifts 
of  Providence  there  is  no  respect  of  persons.  u  He 
maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the  good, 
and  sendeth  rain  upon  the  just  and  upon  the  unjust." 
All  alike  are  sinners,  yet  all  alike  are  beneficiaries  of 
his  bounty.  Even  the  most  malignant  infidel  is  per- 
mitted to  bask  in  his  sunlight  and  breathe  his  air. 
Thus  God  is  Love;  and  he  that  loveth  not,  in  like 
manner,  is  not  born  of  God. 


"  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  "  117 

Second:  It  is  thus  that  we  vindicate  our  calling  as 
disciples  of  Christ.  It  matters  not  whether  he  be  ac- 
cepted or  rejected,  he  "  tasted  death  for  every  man." 
His  followers  are  called  "  a  peculiar  people  "  because 
they  try  to  be  like  him. 

This  is  implied  in  the  words  "  If  ye  love  them  that 
love  you  what  reward  have  ye?  Do  not  even  the 
publicans  the  same  ?  "  By  this  it  would  appear  that 
Christians  are  expected  to  do  "  more  than  others." 
And  this  "  more "  is  specified  in  the  ministry  of 
love. 

Christ  himself,  in  his  capacity  as  a  man  among  men, 
declined  to  administer  justice.  He  said,  "  The  Son  of 
Man  is  come  not  to  condemn  the  world,  but  that  the 
world  through  him  might  be  saved." 

On  one  occasion  the  Rabbis  dragged  an  adulterous 
woman  up  the  marble  steps  of  the  Temple  and  threw 
her  before  him  saying,  "  Moses  in  the  Law  commanded 
that  such  should  be  stoned ;  but  what  sayest  thou  ?  " 
He  stooped  and  wrote  on  the  dust  of  the  pavement, 
"  Let  him  that  is  without  sin  among  you  cast  the  first 
stone  at  her."  When  they  had  gone  out  "  one  by  one, 
beginning  at  the  eldest,"  he  asked  of  the  woman 
"  Hath  no  man  condemned  thee  ?  "  She  answered 
"  Nay,  Lord."  Then  said  he  "  Neither  do  I  condemn 
thee ;  go  and  sin  no  more !  "  This  does  not  mean  that 
he  condoned  her  offence ;  only  that  his  earthly  ministry 
was  not  magisterial.  And  in  thus  speaking  he  marked 
out  a  definite  rule  of  action  for  all  who  profess  to 
follow  him. 

Third:  In  the  ministry  of  love  we  are  led  by  the 
Holy  Spirit  along  the  pathway  of  sanctification  to 
the   fulness  of  character.     This  is  intimated  in  the 


118  "  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  " 

words,  "  Be  ye  perfect  as  your  Father  in  Heaven  is 
perfect/' 

It  is  true  that  we  cannot  attain  to  the  absolute 
perfection  of  our  divine  Father;  but  under  the  influ- 
ence of  the  sanctifying  Spirit  we  may  grow  in  grace 
and  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ  so  as  ultimately  to 
reach  the  perfection  of  love;  and,  so  far  forth,  we 
shall  be  like  him. 

For  a  life  thus  lived  in  "  labour  of  love  and  patience 
of  hope  "  there  is  a  great  reward  even  here  and  now. 
Love  is  indeed  its  own  reward.  There  is  no  warm- 
ing of  the  heart  like  that  which  Cowper  calls  "  the 
generous  pleasure  of  a  kindly  deed."  Let  Portia 
speak : 

"  The  quality  of  mercy  is  not  strained : 
It  droppeth  as  the  gentle  rain  from  heaven 
Upon  the  place  beneath.     It  is  twice  blessed : 
It  blesseth  him  that  gives  and  him  that  takes." 

But  there  is  another  sort  of  reward  awaiting  us 
at  the  Great  Day.  Our  Lord  said,  "  Judge  not  that 
ye  be  not  judged;  for  with  what  measure  ye  mete  it 
shall  be  measured  unto  you  again."  We  never  offer 
the  Lord's  Prayer  without  saying  "  Forgive  us  our 
debts  as  we  forgive  our  debtors."  In  that  little  word 
"  as  "  we  call  God  to  witness  that  we  ask  no  better 
treatment  at  his  hands  than  we  are  now  according  to 
those  who  trespass  against  us.  This  is  our  plea; 
"  The  mercy  I  to  others  show,  that  mercy  show  to 
me!" 

And  there  is  still  another  consideration  for  all  who 
desire  to  make  their  lives  tell  for  the  betterment  of 
things ;  namely,  that  by  this  ministry  of  love  we  enter 


"  LOVE  YOUR  ENEMIES  "  119 

into  co-operation  with  God  himself  in  the  bringing  in 
of  the  Golden  Age.  Our  deeds  of  kindness  are  the 
"  coals  of  fire  "  which  are  destined  to  burn  out  all 
those  personal  animosities  which  provoke  wars  and 
rumours  of  war. 

It  is  for  us  to  say  when  the  Prince  of  Peace  shall 
come.  Let  private  vengeance  cease  and  never  more 
will  red  beacons  blaze  upon  the  headlands  of  the 
earth.  When  every  Peter  puts  up  his  sword  into  its 
sheath,  the  swords  of  all  nations  will  be  beaten  into 
ploughshares  and  the  Hymn  of  Hate  will  give  way  to 
the  Old  Hundredth. 

Welcome  the  Truce  of  God!  Welcome  the  Parlia- 
ment of  Man!  Welcome  the  day  when  the  world 
shall  give  back  the  song  which  now  the  angels  sing, 
"  Glory  to  God  in  the  highest,  peace  on  earth  and  good 
will  to  men !  " 


XIII 
THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER 

"  I  say  also  unto  thee  that  thou  art  Peter,  and  upon  this  rock 
I  will  build  my  church ;  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  it.  And  I  will  give  unto  thee  the  keys  of  the  kingdom 
of  heaven :  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  bind  on  earth  shall  be 
bound  in  heaven,  and  whatsoever  thou  shalt  loose  on  earth 
shall  be  loosed  in  heaven." — Matt.  16:  18-19. 

YOU  are  aware,  of  course,  that  this  text  is  "  fight- 
ing ground " ;  but  I  am  not  in  a  belligerent 
mood.  My  purpose  is  purely  exegetical;  that 
is,  to  expound  this  Scripture  without  bias  and  in  such 
manner  as  to  arrive  at  a  clear  understanding  of  it. 

There  are  three  questions  here  requiring  our  atten- 
tion;  namely  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  rock,  the  keys 
of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  and  the  power  of  binding 
and  loosing. 

First,  then,  as  to  the  meaning  of  the  Rock. 

In  this  connection  there  are  two  Greek  words  to  be 
considered,  one  of  these,  petra,  is  feminine ;  the  other, 
petros,  is  masculine;  and  they  are  never  synonymous 
or  interchangeable.*  The  former  is  used  with  refer- 
ence to  the  foundation  of  the  church :  "  On  this  rock 
will  I  build  my  Church  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it."     The  other  occurs  in  the  saying, 


*  "  There  is  no  example  in  good  authors  of  petra  in  the 
significance  of  petros.!' — Liddell  and  Scott. 

120 


THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER  121 

"  Thou  art  Peter,"  where  Jesus  confers  a  new  name 
on  the  apostle  who  had  just  witnessed  for  him. 

In  order  to  a  clear  understanding  of  the  relation 
of  these  two  words  in  the  passage  under  the  considera- 
tion we  must  recall  the  circumstances.  Our  Lord  was 
on  his  last  journey  to  Jerusalem,  that  memorable  jour- 
ney of  which  it  is  written,  "  He  set  his  face  steadfastly 
to  go."  The  shadow  of  the  Cross  was  over  him,  but 
he  did  not  swerve  a  hair's  breadth  from  the  path  which 
had  been  marked  out  for  him.  He  was  a  lonely  Man, 
with  a  great  secret  in  his  breast  which,  thus  far,  he 
had  not  been  able  to  confide  to  those  who  followed  him. 
It  was  necessary  that  they  should  know  him  better 
before  they  would  be  "  able  to  bear  it." 

As  they  journeyed  he  asked  of  his  disciples,  "  Who 
do  men  say  that  I  am  ?  "  They  answered  that  some 
said  one  thing  and  some  another. — "  But  who  say  ye 
that  I  am?" — Then  Peter,  with  a  ringing  voice,  wit- 
nessed his  good  confession,  "  Thou  art  the  Christ,  the 
Son  of  the  living  God ! " 

This  was  a  pronouncement  far  beyond  any  that  had 
been  previously  made ;  and  to  the  divine  Man,  longing 
for  sympathy  in  his  great  redemptive  purpose,  it  must 
.  have  been  as  grateful  as  a  cup  of  cold  water  to  thirsty 
lips.  Wherefore  he  said,  "  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon, 
son  of  Jonas;  for  flesh  and  blood  hath  not  revealed 
it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven." 

Then  followed  the  giving  of  the  new  name,  "  Thou 
art  Petros;  and  on  this  petra  will  I  build  my  church." 

From  these  facts  we  draw  two  conclusions :  One  is 
that  the  Church  is  built  upon  the  proposition  laid 
down  by  Peter,  that  is,  the  Supremacy  of  Jesus  as  the 
long-looked-for  Christ,  the  Son  of  the  living  God. 


lm  THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER 

Here  is  a  solid  ledge  of  rock  on  which  the  structure 
which  it  was  proposed  to  build  could  securely  rest,  and 
upon  which,  as  an  historical  fact,  the  Church  has  stood 
through  all  the  centuries  so  firmly  that  the  gates  of 
hell  have  not  prevailed  against  it. 

No  other  interpretation  of  this  passage  is  consistent 
with  the  indisputable  claim  of  our  Lord's  supremacy, 
as  where  it  is  written,  "  Other  foundation  can  no  man 
lay  than  that  is  laid,  which  is  Jesus  Christ." 

The  other  conclusion  is  that  the  new  name  which 
was  given  to  Simon  the  son  of  Jonas  was  eminently 
appropriate,  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  he  was  the 
pioneer  of  the  disciples  in  announcing  this  mighty 
truth.  Inasmuch  as  his  confession  was  the  Rock  on 
which  the  church  was  to  rest,  as  on  a  sure  foundation, 
he  might  well  receive  honour  as  a  stone  hewn  out  of 
that  rock. 

It  is  precisely  as  Scipio  for  his  eastern  conquests 
was  surnamed  "  Af  ricanus  " ;  and  as  Balboa,  who  first 
from  the  peak  in  Darien  gazed  out  upon  the  western 
sea  was  thenceforth  known  as  "  Pacificus." 

All  honour  to  the  disciple  who  was  thus  crowned 
with  a  well-earned  "  primacy  "■  for  his  announcement 
of  the  fundamental  truth  of  Christ's  sole  pre-eminence 
as  the  Rock  of  Ages! 

Not  long  after  the  crucifixion,  when  Peter  was  called 
before  the  Sanhedrin  to  answer  for  the  healing  of  the 
cripple  at  the  Gate  Beautiful,  he  disavowed  all  per- 
sonal power  in  the  miracle,  saying,  "  Be  it  known  unto 
you  that  by  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  whom  ye  have 
crucified,  even  by  him  was  this  man  healed.  This  is 
the  stone,  set  at  nought  by  you  builders,  which  is  be- 
come the  head  of  the  corner.    Neither  is  there  salva- 


THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER  123 

tion  in  any  other;  for  there  is  none  other  name  under 
heaven  given  among  men  whereby  we  must  be  saved." 

This  surely  does  not  look  as  if  Peter  regarded  him- 
self as  the  rock-foundation  of  the  church. 

A  quarter  of  a  century  later,  in  a  letter  written  by 
Peter  to  his  fellow-Christians  he  says,  "  Ye  also  as 
living  stones,  are  built  up  into  a  spiritual  house,  an 
holy  priesthood,  to  offer  up  acceptable  sacrifices  by 
Jesus  Christ " ;  by  which  he  gives  us  to  understand, 
that  the  honour  which  was  conferred  upon  him  is  in  a 
measure  extended  to  all  who  truly  accept  Christ  as  the 
foundation  not  only  of  the  Church,  but  of  their  per- 
sonal faith,  as  living  members  of  it. 

Second,  as  to  "  the  keys  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

The  question  here  is,  what  are  we  to  understand  by 
"the  kingdom  of  heaven"? 

The  phrase  has  a  double  meaning.  It  is  sometimes 
used  to  designate  the  Church  triumphant;  that  is,  the 
great  assembly  of  the  redeemed  in  heaven :  as  where 
Christ  says,  "  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit  for  theirs 
is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  " ;  and  again,  "  They  shall 
sit  down  with  Abraham  and  Isaac  and  Jacob  in  the 
kingdom  of  heaven." 

In  this  case,  however,  the  doors  are  "  opened  and 
shut  "  by  Christ  alone. 

In  the  vision  of  the  Golden  Candlestick  he  is  seen 
with  the  keys  at  his  girdle. 

In  his  own  announcement  of  the  Great  Day  he 
represents  himself  as  standing  at  heaven's  gate  and 
saying,  "  Come,  ye  blessed  of  my  Father,  inherit  the 
kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  foundation  of  the 
world." 

In  the  gathering  of  the  "  great  multitude  which  no 


124  THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER 

man  can  number,"  all  with  one  accord  ascribe  their 
entrance  into  heaven  to  the  washing  of  their  robes 
in  the  blood  of  the  lamb ;  "  therefore  are  they  before 
the  throne  of  God." 

But  the  phrase  "  the  kingdom  of  heaven  "  is  more 
frequently  applied  to  the  Church  militant;  that  is,  to 
the  kingdom  of  heaven  on  earth. 

This  is  particularly  clear  in  the  parables,  as  when 
Jesus  says,  "  The  kingdom  of  heaven  is  like  unto  a 
net  that  was  cast  into  the  sea,  and  it  gathered  of 
every  kind  both  good  and  bad."  And  again,  "  The 
kingdom  of  heaven  is  likened  unto  a  man  who  sowed 
good  seed  in  his  field;  but  while  men  slept  his  enemy 
came  and  sowed  tares  among  the  wheat  and  went  his 
way." 

It  is  obvious  that  the  reference  in  such  passages 
is  not  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  first  born  in 
heaven,  but  to  the  imperfect  church  in  which  the 
"  tares  and  wheat  must  grow  together  until  the  great 
day." 

Now  which  of  these  meanings  is  to  be  taken  in  the 
passage  before  us?  Certainly  not  the  first;  for  it  is 
unthinkable  that  the  Saviour  who  "  openeth  and  no 
man  shutteth,  and  shutteth  and  no  man  openeth " 
should  have  abdicated  the  stewardship  of  those  keys. 
But  to  Peter  were  committed  the  keys  which  opened 
the  doors  of  Israel,  the  exclusive  church  of  the  Old 
Economy,  to  all  the  children  of  men. 

In  order  to  verify  this  fact  let  us  transport  our- 
selves to  an  open  court  in  Jerusalem.  It  is  the  day 
of  Pentecost.  A  great  company  is  assembled  not  of 
Jews  only  but  of  "  Parthians,  Medes,  Elamites,  dwell- 
ers  in   Mesopotamia   and    Cappadocia,    Phrygia   and 


THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER  125 

Pamphylia,  Cretes  and  Arabians,  strangers  of  Rome, 
Jews  and  proselytes. "  Suddenly  there  is  a  sound 
from  heaven  as  of  a  rushing  mighty  wind  and  the 
disciples  begin  to  speak  in  divers  tongues  of  the  un- 
searchable riches  of  Christ.  The  people  are  amazed 
and  cry,  "  What  meaneth  this?  "  Others  mocking  say, 
"  These  men  are  full  of  new  wine."  Peter  arises ; 
"  This  is  not  wine,"  he  says,  "  but  the  intoxication  of 
the  Spirit!  This  is  that  which  was  spoken  of  by  the 
prophet  Joel,  '  It  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days 
that  I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon  all  flesh  and 
your  sons  and  your  daughters  shall  prophesy.'  This  is 
a  manifestation  of  the  power  of  Jesus  Christ,  whom 
ye  crucified  and  who  is  risen  from  the  dead  and 
exalted  at  the  right  hand  of  God !  "  On  hearing  this 
they  are  pricked  to  heart  and  cry,  "  Men  and  brethren, 
what  shall  we  do?"  Now  listen  to  Peter;  "Repent 
and  be  baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus 
Christ  for  the  remission  of  your  sins  !  For  the  promise 
is  unto  you  and  to  your  children  and  to  all  that  are 
afar  off,  even  to  as  many  as  the  Lord  our  God  shalt 
call!" 

At  that  moment  the  keys  were  turned,  and  the  gates 
of  the  Ancient  Church  were  thrown  open  to  all.  The 
Christian  Church,  as  the  lineal  successor  and  residuary 
legatee  of  Israel  has  kept  open  house  ever  since  that 
day. 

If  there  be  any  question  as  to  this  interpretation  of 
Peter's  keys,  let  his  own  words  settle  it.  Years  after- 
ward in  the  Christian  Council  at  Jerusalem,  we  hear 
him  saying,  "  Men  and  brethren,  ye  know  how  God 
made  choice  among  us,  that  the  Gentiles  by  my  mouth 
should  hear  the  Gospel  and  believe.', 


126  THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER 

What  higher  honour  could  be  conferred  on  any  mor- 
tal man? 

Third,  as  to  the  power  of  "  binding  and  loosing." 

In  so  far  as  this  refers  to  the  administering  of  disci- 
pline in  the-  Church  there  is  no  grave  difference  of 
opinion;  but  there  is  a  serious  disagreement  when  it 
is  referred  to  so-called  "  absolution."  This  word  is 
used  in  two  ways. 

First,  there  is  "plenary  absolution,"  by  which  is 
meant  the  power  to  forgive  sins:  and  this  is  ac- 
corded to  no  man. 

The  Son  of  Man  alone  "  hath  power  on  earth  to  for- 
give sins."  This  is  his  exclusive  prerogative,  "  I,  even 
I,  am  he  that  blotteth  out  thy  transgressions,  for  mine 
own  sake,  and  will  not  remember  thy  sins." 

But  there  is  also  "  declarative  absolution  " ;  that  is, 
the  authority  to  extend  absolution  in  the  name  of 
Christ  to  all  who  will  repent  and  believe  in  him.  This 
authority  was  conferred  upon  Peter ;  but  not  upon  him 
only. 

If  evidence  on  that  point  is  called  for,  let  us  visit 
the  upper  room  on  the  evening  of  the  resurrection. 
The  disciples  are  assembled  with  closed  doors  "  for 
fear  of  the  Jews."  Suddenly  Jesus  appears  in  their 
midst  saying,  "  Peace  be  unto  you !  As  my  Father 
hath  sent  me,  so  send  I  you."  Then  breathing  on  them 
he  continues,  "  Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  Whose- 
soever sins  ye  remit,  they  are  remitted  unto  them; 
and  whosesoever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are  retained, ." 

By  this  it  appears  that  whatever  power  of  absolu- 
tion was  conferred  on  Peter  was  shared  by  all  the 
disciples  who  were  associated  with  him. 

And  just  here  we  find  the  gravest  item  of  respon- 


THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER  127 

sibility  in  Christian  service.  As  Jesus  was  sent  "  to 
seek  and  to  save  the  lost "  by  offering  absolution  to 
as  many  as  would  repent  and  believe  in  him,  so  has  he 
sent  us,  even  the  humblest  of  his  followers,  to  declare 
that  absolution  to  all  who  are  sensible  of  sin  and  de- 
sirous of  reconciliation  with  God. 

There  are  no  more  solemn  words  in  Scripture  than 
these,  "  When  I  say  unto  the  wicked,  '  Thou  shalt 
surely  die,'  and  thou  givest  him  not  warning  nor 
speakest  to  warn  the  wicked  from  his  wicked  way 
to  save  his  life;  he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity,  but  his 
blood  will  I  require  at  thine  hand.  Yet  if  thou  warn 
the  wicked  and  he  turn  not  from  his  wickedness  nor 
from  his  wicked  way,  he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity ;  but 
thou  hast  delivered  thy  soul." 

In  pursuance  of  that  injunction  I,  here  and  now, 
as  an  ambassador  of  Christ,  offer  free  and  full 
absolution  to  as  many  as  are  willing  to  renounce  their 
evil  ways  and  receive  him  as  their  Saviour,  who 
alone  hath  power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins. 

I  offer  you  absolution  as  Peter  did  to  the  multitude 
at  Pentecost,  "  Repent  and  be  baptized  every  one  of 
you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ  for  the  remission  of 
sins." 

I  offer  you  absolution  as  Peter  did  to  the  people  who 
thronged  about  him  in  Solomon's  Porch,  "  Repent  and 
be  converted  that  your  sins  may  be  blotted  out !  " 

I  offer  you  absolution  as  Peter  did  to  the  arrogant 
rabbis  of  the  Sanhedrin,  "  This  Jesus  is  the  stone 
which  was  set  at  nought  by  the  builders  but  is  now 
become  the  head  of  the  corner;  neither  is  there  salva- 
tion in  any  other !  " 

I  offer  you  absolution  as  Peter  did  to  the  Gentiles 


128  THE  PRIMACY  OF  PETER 

at  Csesarea,  "  To  Jesus  Christ  as  Lord  of  all  bear  all 
the  prophets  witness,  that  through  his  name  every  one 
that  believeth  in  him  shall  receive  remission  of  sins." 

I  offer  you  absolution  as  Peter  does  in  his  General 
Epistle  to  all  believers,  "  Ye  therefore,  beloved,  see- 
ing that  ye  know  these  things,  beware  lest  ye  be  led 
into  error  and  fall  from  your  own  steadfastness;  but 
grow  in  grace  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour  Jesus  Christ;  to  whom  be  glory  both  now 
and  forever." 

If  we  are  finally  received  at  the  gate  of  heaven  it 
will  not  be  through  any  merit  of  our  own  or  by  reli- 
ance on  the  supererogation  of  any  other  man. 

The  only  countersign  there  is  that  of  the  Crusaders, 
"  In  his  name !  "  If  it  chanced  that  one  of  them  was 
pursued  by  the  enemy  he  rode  for  his  life  toward  the 
nearest  castle  from  whose  turret  floated  the  red  banner 
of  the  Cross.  Weary  and  hard  bestead  he  gave  the 
countersign ;  whereat  the  portcullis  was  raised  and 
over  the  drawbridge  he  rode  into  safety.  Herein  is  a 
parable  of  life. 

We  are  always  fleeing  from  the  foe  and  finding  sanc- 
tuary only  in  the  shadow  of  the  Cross;  and  at  our 
journey's  end  we  enter  heaven  through  him  who  gave 
himself  for  us. 

His  is  the  welcome,  "  Enter  into  the  joy  of  thy 
Lord !  " 

And  his  shall  be  the  glory  forever,  as  it  is  written, 
"  Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain  to  receive  power, 
and  riches,  and  wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour  and 
blessing  forever  and  ever,  amen !  " 


XIV 
CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE 

"And  Jesus  said  '  Whereunto  shall  I  liken  this  generation? 
It  is  like  unto  children  sitting  in  the  markets  and  calling  to 
their  fellows  and  saying;  "We  have  piped  unto  you  and  ye 
have  not  danced ;  we  have  mourned  unto  you  and  ye  have 
not  lamented."  For  John  came  neither  eating  nor  drinking 
and  they  say  "  He  hath  a  devil."  The  Son  of  Man  came  eat- 
ing and  drinking  and  they  say,  "  Behold  a  man  gluttonous  and 
a  winebibber,  a  friend  of  publicans  and  sinners."  But  wisdom 
is  justified  of  her  children.'  " — Matt,  ii  :  16-19. 

A  T  this  time  John  the  Baptist  was  a  prisoner  in 
/-\  the  Castle  of  Machaerus.  He  had  gone  up  and 
•**  "^  down  as  the  forerunner  of  Jesus  proclaiming, 
"  The  Kingdom  of  Heaven  is  at  hand !  There  cometh 
one  after  me  whose  shoes'  latchet  I  am  unworthy  to 
unloose ! " 

And  now  Jesus  was  at  the  height  of  his  popularity, 
while  his  pursuivant  was  immured  in  a  dungeon.  Was 
it  strange  that  the  eye  of  the  caged  eagle  should  be 
dimmed?  If  Jesus  was  indeed  the  Messiah  how  could 
he  thus  forget  his  friend  in  adversity? 

Two  of  John's  disciples  were  sent  accordingly  to 
ask,  "  Art  thou  he  should  come,  or  look  we  for  an- 
other?" They  found  him  in  Solomon's  Porch  with 
the  multitude  gathered  about  him. 

In  answer  to  their  question  he  bade  them  stand 
aside  and  see  what  they  should  see.  He  then  con- 
tinued his  preaching  and  his  miracles  of  healing.    "  Go 

129 


130     CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE 

now,"  he  said,  "  and  tell  John  the  things  which  ye  have 
seen  and  heard :  the  blind  receive  their  sight,  the  lame 
walk,  the  lepers  are  cleansed,  the  deaf  hear,  the  dead 
are  raised  up  and  the  poor  have  the  Gospel  preached  to 
them.  And  say  unto  him,  Blessed  is  he  that  shall  not 
be  offended  in  me." 

Then,  having  dismissed  the  messengers,  he  turned 
his  attention  to  the  faultfinders  who  were  nearby. 

After  paying  a  splendid  tribute  to  John  as  "  the 
greatest  born  of  woman,"  he  continued :  "  But  where- 
unto  shall  I  liken  this  generation?  It  is  like  a  group 
of  children  at  play  in  the  market,  acting  now  a  mock 
marriage  and  again  a  mock  funeral,  and  complaining 
that  their  fellows  will  not  participate  in  the  games; 
*  We  have  piped  unto  you  for  a  wedding  and  ye  re- 
fuse to  dance ;  we  have  mourned  unto  you  for  a  funeral 
and  you  will  not  lament  with  us.'  " 

Here  is  an  intimation  of  the  folly  of  trying  to  please 
the  faultfinders.  He  concludes  with  these  words: 
"  Wisdom  is  justified  of  her  children  " :  that  is,  an 
unbiased  mind  is  always  open  to  the  truth,  so  as  to  per- 
ceive the  reason  and  Tightness  of  things. 

It  is  a  queer  world  that  we  are  living  in. 

The  one  constant  factor  in  history  is  human  nature. 
One  generation  passes  away  and  another  takes  its 
place  with  the  regularity  of  the  ebbing  and  flowing 
tides :  but  the  calm  current  of  heredity  flows  on.  The 
children  of  this  generation  are  not  unlike  the  children 
of  other  generations. 

I  once  sat  on  a  broken  pedestal  in  the  Roman 
Forum  and  studied  a  strange  geometrical  figure  which 
had  been  rudely  cut  on  the  marble  pavement.  A 
passing  Italian  explained  it  by  saying  that  the  children 


CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE      131 

of  ancient  Rome  used  to  play  here  and  this  was  one 
of  their  games.  Then  I  remembered  the  "  hop- 
scotch "  of  my  boyhood ;  how  we  used  exactly  such 
a  diagram,  hopping  from  one  section  to  another  and 
pushing  a  pebble  before  us. 

Verily,  as  Solomon  said,  "  There  is  no  new  thing 
under  the  sun." 

And  by  the  same  token  the  faultfinders  are  still 
with  us,  and  always  complaining  of  their  fellows  in 
the  old-fashioned  way. 

I.  It  is  obvious,  at  the  outset,  that  Christ  himself  is 
no  more  acceptable  to  his  censorious  critics  than  he 
was  so  long  ago.  There  are  many  who  see  in  him 
"  no  form  nor  comeliness,  nor  any  beauty  that  they 
should  desire  him."  They  find  in  him  four  particular 
grounds  of  offence. 

The  first  is  his  singular  birth.  "  Great  is  the  mys- 
tery of  godliness,  God  is  manifest  in  flesh ! "  Is  it 
possible  that  divinity  and  humanity  could  be  thus  inter- 
woven, as  warp  and  woof,  in  the  person  of  a  child 
lying  in  a  manger  and  wrapped  in  swaddling  clothes  ? 
They  cannot  believe  it. 

The  second  is  his  unaccountable  life.  Never  man 
lived  like  this  man !  His  challenge  was,  "  Who  lay- 
eth  anything  to  my  charge  ?  "  It  is  claimed  for  him 
that  in  a  world  of  sinners  he  alone,  as  the  Nonesuch 
Professor  says,  "  brought  the  bottom  of  his  life  up 
to  the  top  of  his  light."  Is  this  credible?  The  fault- 
finders decline  to  believe  it. 

The  third  is  his  vicarious  death.  All  others  are 
born  alone,  live  and  suffer  and  toil  alone,  and  musl 
pass  all  alone  through  the  little  wicket  gate.  But  if 
the  claim  of  Jesus  be  allowed  he  "  tasted  death  for 


132     CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE 

every  man."  The  burden  of  the  world's  sin  was 
upon  him  until  his  great  heart  broke  under  it.  But 
how  could  the  innocent  suffer  for  the  guilty  in  that 
way?  So  it  comes  to  pass  that  the  cross  is  "to  the 
Jew  a  stumbling  block  and  to  the  Greeks  foolishness," 
while  to  them  that  believe  it  is  the  very  wisdom  and 
power  of  God. 

The  fourth  of  the  offences  is  the  resurrection  of 
Christ.  It  is  claimed  that  by  virtue  of  his  indwelling 
power,  as  the  self-existent  source  and  centre  of  life, 
he  triumphed  over  death  and  ascended  up  on  high, 
taking  captivity  captive  and  bringing  life  and  im- 
mortality to  light.  But  this  is  against  the  analogy 
of  all  human  experience.  u  It  is  an  hard  saying ;  who 
can  receive  it  ?  " 

No  doubt  these  are  all  mysteries ;  but  shall  they  be 
rejected  on  that  account?  The  most  irrational  man 
in  the  world  is  he  who  refuses  to  believe  in  what 
he  cannot  understand.  We  are  enveloped  by  mys- 
teries which  we  accept  without  a  murmur  because 
they  are  indubitable  facts. 

Not  all  the  scientists  and  philosophers  in  the  world 
can  explain  the  influence  of  mind  over  matter,  or  even 
the  beating  of  my  pulse  or  how  I  lift  my  hand  at 
the  command  of  my  will.  The  question  is  not  whether 
things  are  comprehensible,  but  whether  they  are  facts 
or  not;  and  that  must  always  be  determined  by  the 
evidence  in  the  case. 

The  reason  why  the  four  wonderful  facts  which 
centre  in  Christ  are  rejected  is  not  because  they  are 
mysterious,  nor  because  they  are  not  sustained  by 
adequate  evidence,  but  because  they  lead  to  conclusions 
which  are  repellent  to  the  carnal  mind. 


CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE      133 

If  Christ  was  born  and  lived  and  died  and  rose 
again  as  claimed,  then  he  "  showed  himiself  with 
power "  to  be  the  veritable  Son  of  God :  in  which 
event  he  is  able  to  save  unto  the  uttermost  all  who  will 
come  unto  him. 

This  is  the  quod  erat  demonstrandum  which  lies 
back  of  all  the  thousands  of  excuses  which  are  offered 
for  rejecting  Christ. 

The  faultfinders  do  not  object  to  being  reconciled 
with  God  but  they  decline  to  be  saved  that  way.  And 
this  is  because  "  the  carnal  mind  is  enmity  against 
God." 

It  remains,  therefore,  as  true  as  ever  that,  whether 
the  music  of  the  Gospel  be  a  dirge  over  the  sinfulness 
of  sin  or  a  jubilate  on  the  way  to  a  marriage  feast,  the 
children  in  the  marketplace  decline  to  keep  step 
with  it. 

But  Christ  is  the  same  yesterday,  today  and  for- 
ever; and  the  faultfinders  cannot  dispose  of  him. 

It  is  related  that  when  John  Huss  was  awaiting  his 
execution  he  covered  the  walls  of  his  prison  with 
the  theological  propositions  in  defence  of  which  he 
had  ventured  his  life.  He  dreamed  one  night  that  a 
troop  of  black  devils  entered  his  cell  and  obliterated 
them  all ;  and  that  afterward  an  angel  came  and  wrote 
the  name  of  Jesus  in  colours  of  blood  and  fire,  say- 
ing as  he  vanished,  "  Let  them  efface  that  if  they 
can ! " 

It  is  true  that,  whatever  may  befall  our  interpreta- 
tions of  the  Gospel,  the  unaccountable  Man  can  never 
be  bowed  out  of  court.  His  glory  brightens  with  every 
rising  sun.  "  All  ages,"  as  the  infidel  Renan  said, 
"  will  call  him  blessed ;  and   future  generations  will 


134      CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE 

proclaim  that  none  has  ever  been  born  greater  than 
Jesus  among  the  children  of  men." 

II.  But  if  Christ  was  not  immune  from  criticism 
is  it  at  all  surprising  that  his  disciples  should  suffer 
in  the  same  way? 

Did  he  not  say,  "  The  servant  is  not  greater  than  his 
lord;  if  they  have  been  offended  in  me  shall  they  not 
also  be  offended  in  you  ?  " 

And  unfortunately  there  are  serious  grounds  of 
offence  in  us.  The  church  is  made  up  of  all  sorts 
and  conditions  of  people,  having  the  common  in- 
firmities of  the  race ;  so  that  all  alike  must  say,  "  I 
am  not  what  I  ought  to  be,  nor  what  I  would  like 
to  be,  nor  yet  what  I  hope  to  be ;  but  by  the  grace  of 
God  I  am  what  I  am !  " 

One  ground  of  offence  is  found  in  their  serious- 
ness. 

In  the  process  of  repentance  they  have  come  to 
realize  the  exceeding  sinfulness  of  sin.  Men  all  about 
them  are  going  to  Judgment,  lockstep,  quickstep,  un- 
prepared and  laughing  as  they  go.  Such  facts  as  this 
should  make  us  serious.  But  the  people  in  Vanity  Fair 
do  not  like  the  slow  measures  of  our  miserere.  They 
would  have  us  dance  to  their  piping  as  we  pass 
on. 

No  more  are  they  pleased  with  our  hallelujahs. 

We  sing  because  our  hearts  are  light.  Our  sins 
which  were  as  scarlet  are  made  whiter  than  snow, 
washed  away  by  the  red  fountain  drawn  from  Im- 
manuel's  veins.  How  can  we  keep  step  to  the  Dead 
March  in  Saul  when  the  mislived  past  is  blotted  out 
and  heaven's  gates  are  open  before  us? 

But  what  matters  it?    Whether  we  laugh  or  weep, 


CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE      135 

it  is  all  one ;  we  cannot  please  those  who  are  disposed 
to  find  fault  with  us. 

Then  they  remind  us  of  our  loud  profession :  and 
just  here  is  where  they  totally  misunderstand  us. 

We  do  not  profess  to  be  saints.  There  is  not  one 
saint  in  the  universal  church :  "  for  there  is  no  dif- 
ference; all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory 
of  God."  The  only  difference  is  that  while  we  ac- 
knowledge ourselves  to  be  sinners  we  profess  to  be 
sinners  saved  by  grace.  We  have  accepted  the  divine 
overtures  of  mercy  in  Christ  and,  not  for  any  personal 
merit  but  only  for  the  righteousness  which  is  by  faith 
in  him,  we  look  for  everlasting  life. 

But  they  ask,  "  What  are  you  doing  to  exemplify 
your  faith?  To  be  sure  you  are  sending  the  Gospel 
to  Borria-boola-gha ;  but  charity  begins  at  home.  Why 
do  you  not  feed  the  hungry  and  clothe  the  naked  and 
show  some  practical  interest  in  the  destitute  who  are 
all  around  us?  " 

Behold,  how  small  an  argument  will  put  them  down ! 
Here  is  a  little  book  called  the  "  Charities  Directory 
of  the  City  of  New  York,"  in  which  there  are  above 
two  thousand  organized  forms  of  public  beneficence. 
How  many  of  these  are  being  carried  on  by  those  who 
hold  themselves  aloof  from  religious  organizations? 
Not  as  many  as  can  be  counted  on  the  fingers  of  a 
dozen  hands ! 

It  is  respectfully  submitted  that  before  our  critics  are 
fully  qualified  they  should  be  able  to  show  that  they 
themselves  are  doing  a  little  M  charity  at  home." 

The  Red  Cross  also  is  in  evidence.  It  is  the  reli- 
gious women  of  our  country  who  are  doing  practically 
all  that  is  being  done  for  the  men  on  the  firing  line. 


136     CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE 

The  symbol  on  the  flag  that  floats  over  them  is  a 
tribute  of  praise  to  the  charitable  work  of  the  church 
and  an  unanswerable  reproach  to  those  who  oppose  it. 

The  Church  is  confessedly  not  what  it  ought  to 
be;  but  it  is  doing  so  much,  not  only  for  the  relief 
of  the  needy  at  home,  but  for  the  evangelization  of 
the  regions  beyond,  that  its  censorious  critics  have 
abundant  reason  to  lay  their  hands  upon  their  lips. 

The  followers  of  Christ  are  banded  together  like 
the  ancient  phalanx  of  the  Spartans,  who  marched 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  with  shields  overlapped,  push- 
ing their  way  to  victory,  while  bearing  the  wounded 
aloft  upon  their  shields.  The  joints  of  their  harness 
are  pierced  by  many  a  well-aimed  arrow;  but  they 
push  on,  carrying  the  weak  and  wounded  with  them, 
in  the  confident  hope  of  standing  together  some  day 
in  the  refuge  of  the  Holy  City. 

III.  It  is  time,  however,  to  turn  the  tables  upon 
the  faultfinders.  And  frankness  on  our  part  is  surely 
warranted  by  the  frankness  with  which  they  are  wont 
to  criticize  us. 

We  venture,  therefore,  to  call  to  their  remembrance 
the  great  professions  which  they  make. 

Oh !  but  they  say,  "  We  make  no  profession."  Let 
us  see. 

The  followers  of  Christ  do  not  profess  to  be  good 
people  but  only  trying  to  do  good ;  and  because  they 
find  it  no  easy  matter  they  not  only  invoke  the  divine 
help  but  band  themselves  together  for  mutual  prayer 
and  sympathy.  But  how  is  it  with  these  others  ?  They 
profess  such  confidence  in  themselves  that  they  need 
no  such  fellowship.  They  need  no  God,  no  Saviour, 
no  Bible  and  no  church.    The  reason  why  they  do  not 


CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE      137 

pray  is  because  they  can  get  along  without  it.  A  great 
profession  this;  and  what  have  they  to  show  for  it? 

Their  practice  is  out  of  gear.  Their  profession  is 
like  sounding  brass  and  a  tinkling  cymbal.  The  very 
criticisms  which  they  pass  upon  the  church  are  in 
evidence  against  them. 

Why  is  it  that  ever  and  anon  there  are  flaming  head- 
lines in  the  newspapers  like  this,  "  Another  Deacon 
gone  wrong  "?  Is  it  not  because  Deacons  are  expected 
to  go  right? 

Tell  me  why  the  newspapers  never  fling  out  this 
headline?  "Another  infidel  gone  wrong!"  It  is  be- 
cause in  the  world's  opinion,  that  would  be  no  extraor- 
dinary thing.  The  average  reporter  is  looking  for 
something  sensational  and  therefore  he  would  not  take 
the  trouble  to  make  a  note  of  it. 

What  an  inadvertent  tribute  is  thus  paid  to  Christian 
character;  and  what  a  serious  reflection  upon  the 
average  character  of  those  who  oppose  it ! 

In  this  connection  let  me  remind  you  of  Apol- 
lodorus,  the  Athenian  artist  who  invented  the  mixing 
of  colours  and  the  blending  of  lights  and  shadows. 
His  sketches  were  so  imperfect  and  experimental  that 
over  each  of  them  he  wrote  his  apology  in  these 
words : 

"  Tis  no  hard  thing  to  reprehend  me ; 
But  let  the  men  that  blame  me,  mend  me." 

It  is  no  easy  matter  to  live  a  consistent  Christian 
life.  It  means  hard  wrestling  day  by  day  to  get  the 
better  of  one's  meaner  self,  and  an  unceasing  effort 
to  converge  one's  energies  upon  the  betterment  of 
the  world  for  the  glory  of  God. 


138      CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE 

"  Hard  pounding,  gentlemen,"  as  Wellington  said 
at  Waterloo.  If  you  do  not  believe  it,  my  friend,  come 
into  our  fellowship  and  try  it.  Or  if  you  still  prefer 
to  stand  aloof,  then  "  let  him  that  blames  us,  mend 
us." 

It  is  thus  that  "  Wisdom  is  justified  of  her  chil- 
dren." 

The  best  we  can  do  is  to  do  our  best  and  turn  a  deaf 
ear  to  the  faultfinders.  For  to  our  own  Master  we 
stand  or  fall. 

Wherefore  "  not  with  eye-service  as  men-pleasers, 
but  as  the  servants  of  Christ,"  let  us  strive  to  please 
him. 

We  may  not  count  ourselves  to  have  apprehended, 
as  though  we  were  already  perfect;  but  this  one  thing 
we  can  do,  we  can  "  reach  forth  unto  the  things  which 
are  before  and  press  toward  the  mark  for  the  prize  of 
of  the  high  calling  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus." 

We  shall  all  alike  have  to  plead  guilty  in  the  Great 
Day :  but  blessed  are  those  who,  leaning  on  him  as 
Saviour  and  Intercessor,  shall  at  length  be  delivered 
from  the  shame  and  power  and  penalty  of  sin. 

In  the  meantime  the  Gospel  must  in  all  fairness  be 
judged  not  by  the  character  of  Christians  but  by  that 
of  Christ  himself.  Whatever  may  be  our  imperfec- 
tions, he  stands  forth,  as  once  he  stood  at  Gabbatha, 
challenging  the  world  to  criticize  him. 

Two  infidels  once  sat  in  a  railway  car  discussing 
his  wonderful  life.  One  of  them  said,  "  I  think  an 
interesting  romance  could  be  written  about  him." 
The  other  replied,  "  And  you  are  just  the  man  to  write 
it.  Set  forth  the  correct  view  of  his  life  and  char- 
acter.    Tear  down  the  prevailing  sentiment  as  to  his 


CHILDREN  IN  THE  MARKETPLACE      139 

divineness  and  paint  him  as  he  was — a  man  among 
men."  The  suggestion  was  acted  on  and  the  romance 
was  written.  The  man  who  made  the  suggestion  was 
Colonel  Ingersoll :  the  author  was  General  Lew  Wal- 
lace ;  and  the  book  was  "  Ben-Hur."  In  the  process 
of  constructing  it  he  found  himself  facing  the  unac- 
countable Man.  The  more  he  studied  his  life  and 
character  the  more  profoundly  he  was  convinced  that 
he  was  more  than  a  man  among  men ;  until  at  length 
like  the  centurion  under  the  Cross,  he  was  constrained 
to  cry,  "  Verily,  this  was  the  Son  of  God." 

If  these  words  should,  perchance,  fall  under  the  eyes 
of  any  honest  doubter  let  him  go  and  do  likewise. 
For  no  man  can  frankly  look  into  the  eyes  of  Jesus 
without  believing  in  him.  If  all  other  miracles  were 
disposed  of,  Christ  would  still  remain  the  greatest 
miracle  of  all. 

"  Reach  hither  thy  finger,"  said  Jesus,  "  and  thrust 
it  into  my  wounds  " ;  and  doubting  Thomas  fell  before 
him — as  every  other  honest  doubter  must  do — with 
the  adoring  cry  "  My  Lord  and  my  God !  " 


XV 
A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE 

"And  from  thence  he  arose,  and  went  into  the  borders  of 
Tyre  and  Sidon,  and  entered  into  a  house,  and  would  have 
no  man  know  it;  but  he  could  not  be  hid. 

For  a  certain  woman,  whose  young  daughter  had  an  un- 
clean spirit,  heard  of  him,  and  came  and  fell  at  his   feet: 

The  woman  was  a  Greek,  a  Syrophenician  by  nation;  and 
she  besought  him  that  he  would  cast  forth  the  devil  out  of  her 
daughter. 

But  Jesus  said  unto  her,  Let  the  children  first  be  filled :  for 
it  is  not  meet  to  take  the  children's  bread,  and  to  cast  it  unto 
the  dogs. 

And  she  answered  and  said  unto  him,  Yes,  Lord:  yet  the 
dogs  under  the  table  eat  of  the  children's  crumbs. 

And  he  said  unto  her,  For  this  saying  go  thy  way;  the 
devil  is  gone  out  of  thy  daughter. 

And  when  she  was  come  to  her  house,  she  found  the  devil 
gone  out,  and  her  daughter  laid  upon  the  bed."— Mark 
7 :  24-30. 

OUR   Lord  was  everybody's   friend.     Jew   and 
Greek,    barbarian,    Scythian,    bond    and    free 
were  all  alike  to  him.     He  was  no  narrow- 
minded  provincial,  but  a_cosmo,politan  Saviour  with  a 
Gospel  for  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men. 

But  his  disciples  were  of  a  different  mind.  They 
had  been  trained  in  the  school  of  Jewish  prejudice  and 
were  as  narrow  as  he  was  broad.  He  was  like  the 
sun  which  shines  for  all;  but  they  were  like  twelve 

140 


A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE  141 

candles  set  in  a  row,  their  light  shining  in  such  a  small 
circle  that  a  bushel  could  easily  hide  it. 

If  they  were  ever  to  be  of  any  particular  use  in  a 
kingdom  of  universal  love  they  must  somehow  be  in- 
oculated with  the  mind  of  the  Master.  But  how  should 
this  be  brought  to  pass  ? 

Here  was  the  problem  that  confronted  Jesus  when 
he  set  out  on  his  journey  toward  the  North.  So  long 
as  he  remained  in  Jerusalem  the  Twelve  were  quite 
willing  to  co-operate  with  him,  provided  too  much  of 
his  time  was  not  devoted  to  the  betterment  of  "  the 
devil's  poor  " :  but  when  he  crossed  over  into  Samaria, 
the  land  of  the  half-breeds,  they  were  reluctant  to  fol- 
low him.  Once  when  they  found  him  talking  at  high 
noon  with  a  woman  of  ill  repute  they  were  amazed 
beyond  measure,  for  "  the  Jews  had  no  dealings  with 
the  Samaritans."  And  when  he  pressed  on  still  fur- 
ther into  "  the  regions  beyond,"  where  there  were  none 
but  Gentiles,  who  were  "  aliens  from  the  common- 
wealth of  Israel  and  strangers  from  the  covenants  of 
promise,"  they  sympathetically  and  practically  parted 
company  with  him. 

On  reaching  his  destination  in  the  North  Country, 
being  wearied  with  his  journey,  he  "  entered  into  a 
certain  house  and  would  have  no  man  know  it."  But 
it  is  written,  "  he  could  not  be  hid."  What  a  tribute 
to  his  reputation!  It  was  as  when  a  cargo  of  spices 
from  the  West  Indies  comes  into  port  and  the  pungent 
odour  of  spicery  pervades  the  atmosphere  all  along  the 
river-front.  The  fame  of  the  wonder-worker  had 
gone  before,  him.  The  people  of  the  village  were  on 
the  qui  vivc  to  see  and  hear  him. 

The  first  of  his  visitors  was  a  woman  with  an  aching 


142  A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE 

heart.  She  had  a  wayward  daughter  who  was  "  pos^ 
sessed  of  an  unclean  spirit."  In  vain  was  human 
help ;  but  having  heard  of  the  arrival  of  Jesus  she  came 
with  her  trouble  to  him. 

Just  here  is  where  Jesus  began  to  teach  his  disciples 
the  lesson  of  magnanimity.  It  calls  to  remembrance  a 
clinic  which  I  attended  in  the  New  York  Hospital 
many  years  ago.  The  patient  was  a  little  fellow  who 
was  suffering  from  hip-disease.  He  lay  upon  the 
operating-table  where  the  surgeon  kept  him  waiting 
while,  with  uplifted  scalpel,  he  instructed  a  class  of 
medical  students  who  were  gathered  about  him.  So 
the  Good  Physician  kept  this  sore-hearted  woman 
waiting  while  he  taught  his  disciples  how  to  deal  with 
cases  like  hers. 

"  She  fell  at  his  feet  and  told  him  all."  It  was  the 
old,  old  story  of  a  skeleton  in  the  closet  of  an  other- 
wise happy  home :  the  story  of  a  daughter  grown  im- 
patient of  parental  restraint,  falling  into  bad  company, 
allured  by  temptation  and  so  fallen  that  the  whole 
household  was  scandalized  by  the  shame  of  it. 

Could  Jesus  help  her?  Surely;  for  nothing  was  too 
hard  for  him.  But  would  he  ?  Never  in  all  his  min- 
istry had  he  refused  a  request  like  hers.  Wherever  he 
went  the  sick  were  brought  out  on  couches  along  the 
way  and  the  record  is  that  "  he  healed  them  all." 

Nevertheless  in  this  case  "  he  answered  not  a  word." 
How  unlike  him !  Had  he  nothing  to  say  ?  Presently 
he  would  have  something  to  say;  but  not  until  this 
eloquent  silence  should  be  rightly  interpreted  by  his 
disciples,  to  whom  it  makes  this  dumb  appeal,  "  What 
would  you  do  in  a  case  like  this  ?  "  He  has  changed 
places  with  them  for  the  nonce  and  is  lending  himself 


A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE  143 

to  their  narrow  prejudice  that  he  may  expose  it.  He 
is  silent  because  they  would  have  it  so. 

But  the  woman  persists  "  Lord,  pity  me ! "  And 
surely  he  will  pity  her;  for  it  is  written  of  him  "  He 
is  very  pitiful,"  that  is  full  of  pity,  and  "  his  compas- 
sions fail  not." 

Not  so  his  disciples.  They  cry,  "  Send  her  away, 
Lord,  she  troubleth  us !  "  The  sight  of  distress  which 
their  sectarian  bigotry  must  decline  to  relieve  is  natu- 
rally an  annoyance  to  them.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
world  so  troublesome  as  the  sympathy  which  finds  no 
outlet  in  kindliness:  and  unfortunately,  this  is  one  of 
the  common  ills  that  human  frailty  is  heir  to. 

But  the  clinic  goes  on.  The  Lord,  for  the  business 
in  hand,  still  occupies  the  standpoint  of  his  disciples. 
"  I  am  not  sent,"  he  says,  "  but  unto  the  lost  sheep  of 
the  house  of  Israel."  A  strange  rebuff  to  be  adminis- 
tered by  the  gracious  Son  of  God!  How  shall  we 
reconcile  it  with  those  other  words,  "  Him  that  cometh 
unto  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out "? 

And  still  the  woman  persists :  "  Lord  have  compas- 
sion upon  us !  "  Her  petition  is  now  duplicated  by 
bringing  her  wayward  daughter  into  it.  But  this 
would  only  increase  the  reluctance  of  the  disciples  to 
help  her:  since,  however  they  might  look  with  com- 
passion on  the  sorrow  of  the  distressed  mother,  for 
her  wayward  girl  they  had  none.  Let  her  reap  what 
she  had  sown !  Why  should  drabs  and  drunkards 
complain  when  justice  overtakes  them? 

Again  Jesus  falls  in  with  their  way  of  thinking.  "  It 
is  not  meet,"  he  says,  "  to  take  the  children's  bread 
and  fling  it  to  dogs."  This  is  like  a  blow  in  the  face. 
The  disciples  are  looking  at  each  other  as  if  to  say. 


1U  A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE 

"  Just  as  we  thought !  If  there  were  any  of  the  lost 
sheep  of  the  house  of  Israel  in  this  neighbourhood  he 
would  gladly  minister  to  them;  but  never  to  such  as 
these."  For,  be  it  remembered,  all  Gentiles  were  re- 
garded as  pariahs.  The  Jews  were  accustomed  to  call 
them  "  dogs  of  Gentiles,"  esteeming  them  no  better 
than  the  curs  that  whine  and  howl  outside  the  gates 
of  Oriental  cities. 

But  when  Christ  fell  in  with  this  prejudice  it  was 
only  that  he  might  reprove  it.  He  echoed  their  thought 
in  order  to  expose  its  brutality  and  put  it  to  an  open 
and  perpetual  shame. 

Let  us,  however,  be  chary  of  reproof  at  this  point 
lest  we  be  found  in  a  similar  case.  For,  of  all  of  our 
besetting  sins,  bigotry  is  the  last  that  dies.  It  is  like 
the  snakes  of  our  boyhood  that,  when  decapitated, 
wriggled  till  the  going  down  of  the  sun.  Witness  the 
mean  proverb,  "  Charity  begins  at  home,"  which  is 
only  another  way  of  saying  "  Charity  never  goes 
abroad."  And  witness  the  sectarianism  which  turns  its 
back  on  "  dissenters  "  and  "  non-conformists  "  with  the 
cry,  "  The  Temple  of  the  Lord  are  we ! " 

Was  this  the  mind  of  Jesus?  A  thousand  times  no! 
It  is  however  the  logic  of  the  clinic.  It  is  the  irony  of 
infinite  goodness  rebuking  meanness  and  inhumanity. 
Not  for  the  world  would  Christ  play  needlessly  upon 
the  quivering  heartstrings  of  a  mother.  Never  in  all 
his  ministry  had  such  words  fallen  from  his  lips,  nor 
would  they  now  but  for  the  great  purpose  in  view. 
The  patient  is  kept  waiting  in  her  painful  solicitude 
because  the  disciples  must  be  taught  their  lesson;  but 
presently  he  will  abundantly  repay  her. 

Still  the  woman  persists.    Mother  wit  to  the  rescue ! 


A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE  145 

"  Yea,  Lord ;  but  even  the  dogs  eat  the  crumbs  which 
fall  from  the  master's  table." 

She  has  taken  him  at  his  word :  "  Bring  forth  your 
strong  arguments."    And  she  wins  her  case. 

Thus  far  Christ  has  spoken  for  his  disciples :  now 
he  speaks  for  himself ;  "  O  woman,  great  is  thy  faith : 
be  it  unto  thee  as  thou  wilt."  And  straightway  she 
speeds  homeward  to  greet  her  daughter  who,  restored 
to  her  right  mind,  is  waiting  in  the  doorway  to  receive 
her. 

So  ends  the  clinic.  The  disciples  have  been  taught 
the  greatest  and  most  wonderful  of  lessons :  to  wit,  that 
Christ  is  a  Saviour  for  all. 

His  first  word  is  "  Come  "  and  his  second  word  is 
"  Go."  He  leads  the  way  to  the  slums,  to  the  frontiers 
and  to  the  regions  beyond,  and  bids  us  follow  him. 
City  Missions,  Home  Missions,  Foreign  Missions,  all 
missions  are  for  us.  The  word  "  Go  ye  out  into  the 
highways  and  hedges  and  constrain  them  to  come  in  " 
has  been  sounding  down  along  the  centuries ;  and  still 
we  "  tarry  at  Jerusalem."  Christ  would  lead  the  way ; 
but  he  cannot  go  without  us. 

Here  then  is  our  lesson :  "  The  whole  creation 
groaneth  and  travaileth  together  until  now,  waiting  " 
— waiting  for  what  ? — "  for  the  manifestation  of  the 
children  of  God."  That  is  to  say  the  world  is  un- 
saved because  we  as  God's  children  have  not  been 
"manifested "  as  yet.  We  have  not  developed  the 
spirit  of  loving  kindness  which  alone  can  save  it. 

Our  Lord  has  infinite  resources  at  his  command; 
bread  enough  for  the  hungry,  comfort  for  the  sorrow- 
ing and  salvation  for  all  who  wander  in  sinful  ways: 
but  he  works  through  us  as  his  agents  in  the  dispensa- 


146  A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE 

tion  of  his  grace.  So  it  comes  to  pass  that  the  uncon- 
verted world  is  groaning  and  travailing  even  until 
now.  It  is  still  waiting  for  an  enlargement  of  the 
hearts  of  those  who  profess  to  be  God's  children. 

The  Twelve  were  slow  to  learn  their  lesson.  Not 
even  when  they  saw  the  Master  with  his  hands 
stretched  out  on  Calvary,  as  if  to  say  "  Look  unto  me 
all  ye  ends  of  the  earth,  and  be  ye  saved,"  would 
they  consent  that  he  was  "  tasting  death  for  every 
man."  He  was  still  a  provincial  Saviour,  the  Messiah 
of  the  Jews.  It  was  not  until  eight  years  after  his 
resurrection  that  Peter,  while  engaged  in  prayer  on  a 
housetop  in  Joppa,  saw  Heaven  open  and  a  great  sheet 
let  down  in  which  were  all  manner  of  clean  and  un- 
clean things.  When  a  Voice  called,  "  Rise  Peter, 
kill  and  eat,"  he  objected,  saying,  "  Not  so,  Lord:  for 
I  have  never  eaten  anything  common  or  unclean." 
The  Voice  replied,  "  What  God  hath  cleansed  that  call 
not  thou  common."  But  the  vision  must  needs  be 
repeated  thrice  before  this  foremost  man  of  the  Twelve 
could  rightly  interpret  it.  Then  he  said,  "  Of  a  truth 
I  perceive  that  God  is  no  respecter  of  persons :"  and 
thereafter  he,  and  the  other  disciples  who  had  previ- 
ously shared  his  provincial  view  of  the  Gospel,  con- 
sented that  it  was  not  only  intended  for  the  lost  sheep 
of  the  House  of  Israel  but  for  "  all  that  were  afar  off." 

How  strangely  are  the  tables  turned;  now  the  prej- 
udice that  was  once  entertained  by  the  Jews  against 
the  Gentiles  is  all  the  other  way.  In  New  York  City 
there  are  a  hundred  times  as  many  Jews  as  in  the 
city  of  Jerusalem :  and  they  are  practically  regarded 
as  outside  the  pale  of  the  Gospel.  What  is  being  done 
to  evangelize  them?    Practically  nothing.    There  are 


A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE  147 

none  so  deep  in  the  waters  of  Christian  neglect  as  these 
ancient  people,  once  the  chosen  people  of  God. 

But  here  is  a  more  startling  fact.  There  are  twelve 
hundred  millions  of  people  in  the  world  who  have 
never  heard  the  Gospel  at  all!  They  dwell  in  the 
regions  beyond,  in  "  the  regions  of  darkness  and  the 
shadow  of  death."  And  the  lamentable  fact  is  that 
there  are  multitudes  of  Christian  people  who  refuse  to 
follow  Christ  across  the  borders  of  Galilee !  O  God, 
enlarge  our  hearts!  Teach  us  thy  great  word  whoso- 
ever! Give  us  to  understand  the  long  unheeded  sign 
of  the  Golden  Age,  that  "  the  Gospel  must  be  first 
preached  throughout  the  whole  world;  then  shall  the 
end   be." 

Here  is  a  lesson  for  non-Christians  also;  namely 
that  the  Gospel  is  not  to  be  appraised  by  the  incon- 
sistent lives  of  those  who  profess  to  practise  it.  Is 
it  fair  to  judge  of  art  or  science  or  philosophy  by 
the  blunders  that  artists  and  scientists  and  philoso- 
phers are  making  every  day?  Is  it  just  to  rail  at  a 
Republican  form  of  government  because  of  the  mal- 
feasance of  near-statesmen  who  administer  it?  Truth 
must  stand  upon  its  own  merits,  not  upon  the  achieve- 
ments of  wayward  Argonauts  who  wander  hither  and 
yon  in  quest  of  the  golden  fleece. 

We  take  no  exception  to  the  criticisms  which  are 
passed  upon  us;  but  far  above  and  behind  us  stands 
One  in  whom  the  world  can  find  u  no  fault  at  all." 
Christ  alone  is  the  true  exemplar  of  the  Christian  life. 
If  we  are  sinful,  he  is  without  sin.  If  we  are  sec- 
tarian, he  is  cosmopolitan.  If  we  are  mean  and  selfish 
and  narrow  minded,  he  is  so  magnanimous  that,  in 
self-forgetful  devotion  to  the  welfare  of  humanity,  he 


148  A  CLINIC  IN  TYRE 

set  his  face  steadfastly  to  go  toward  the  Cross  and 
there  "  tasted  death  for  every  man." 

And  here,  finally,  is  a  lesson  for  all  petitioners.  The 
woman  of  Syrophenicia  was  one  of  many.  The  world 
is  full  of  mothers  who  agonize  for  wayward  daughters, 
and  of  fathers  who  stand  in  their  doorways  looking 
off  toward  the  hills  and  waiting  for  the  return  of  their 
prodigal  sons.  And  the  Lord  is  ever  waiting  to  be 
gracious. 

The  newspapers  tell  of  the  recent  death  of  a  woman 
who  twenty  years  ago  at  the  Battery  bade  farewell  to 
her  sailorman  who  never  came  back.  Her  mind  was 
crazed  by  hope  deferred;  so  that  every  morning  for 
these  weary  years  she  has  gone  down  to  the  Battery 
and  shaded  her  eyes  to  see  if  her  ship  were  coming  in. 
Let  us  hope  that  she  has  passed  on  to  a  happy  reunion 
with  her  sailorman.  In  any  case  we  may  rest  assured 
that,  however  we  may  be  kept  waiting  for  a  while, 
the  prayer-hearing  and  prayer-answering  God  will 
never  fail  us. 

In  the  long  days  when  President  Garfield  sat  on  his 
piazza  at  Elberon  waiting  for  his  last  summons  and 
gazing  out  over  the  sea,  he  repeated  again  and  again, 
"  The  ships  come  in !  "  God's  ships  always  come  in. 
Therefore, 

"Don't  stop  praying; 
The  Lord  is  nigh: 
God  has  promised, 
He'll  hear  your  cry." 

He  that  believeth  shall  not  make  haste.  The  times 
and  seasons  are  for  God;  but  the  great  promises  are 
for  us.  u  Ask  and  ye  shall  receive ;  seek  and  ye  shall 
find ;  knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you." 


XVI 

AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD 

"  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God.  The  same  was  in  the  beginning 
with  God.  All  things  were  made  by  him;  and  without  him 
was  not  anything  made  that  was  made.  In  him  was  life;  and 
the  life  was  the  light  of  men.  And  the  light  shineth  in  dark- 
ness; and  the  darkness  comprehended  it  not.  .  .  .  And  the 
word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among  us  (and  we  beheld 
his  glory,  the  glory  as  of  the  only  begotten  of  the  Father), 
full  of  grace  and  truth." — John  i  :  1-5,  14- 

JOHN  was  under  divine  orders  to  write  a  Biog- 
raphy of  Jesus.  It  was  to  be  bound  up  with 
sixty-five  other  books  as  an  important  part  of  a 
larger  Book  which  was  destined  to  be  known  every- 
where and  all  through  the  centuries  as  The  Word  of 
God. 

For  this  work  he  was  divinely  equipped  with  a  gift 
called  theopnenstia,  or  "  inspiration."  By  this  we  are 
given  to  understand  that  God  proposed  to  safeguard 
his  writing  against  all  possibility  of  error.  In  other 
words,  he  was  to  write  "  as  he  was  moved  by  the  Spirit 
of  God." 

But  before  he  began  this  Biography  there  must  be 
a  preface  or  Prologue  which  would  explain  its  purpose. 
We  have  this  prologue  in  the  first  eighteen  verses  of 
the  Gospel  according  to  John.  It  might  properly  be 
entitled, 

149 


150  AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD 

HOW  A  MAN  MAY  BECOME  ACQUAINTED  WITH  GOD. 

We  must  know  God :  for  "  this  is  life  eternal,  to 
know  God."  But  how  can  the  finite  grasp  the  In- 
finite ?  "  No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  or  can  see 
him."  Can  a  child  dip  up  the  ocean  in  a  gourd? 
"  Canst  thou  by  searching  find  out  God  ?  " 

Let  Job  answer :  "  Oh  that  I  knew  where  I  might 
find  him,  that  I  might  come  even  to  his  seat !  I  would 
order  my  cause  before  him  and  fill  my  mouth  with 
arguments.  I  would  know  the  words  which  he  would 
answer  me,  and  understand  what  he  would  say  unto 
me.  .  .  .  Behold,  I  go  forward,  but  he  is  not  there; 
and  backward,  but  I  cannot  perceive  him :  on  the  left 
hand,  where  he  doth  work,  but  I  cannot  behold  him; 
he  hideth  himself  on  the  right  hand,  that  I  cannot  see 
him." 

We  are  told  of  an  ancient  philosopher  named  Si- 
monides  who  was  summoned  before  his  king  and  com- 
manded to  formulate  a  definition  of  God.  At  the  close 
of  the  day  he  returned  and  said,  "  O  king,  I  shall  re- 
quire a  week."  At  the  end  of  the  week  he  came  again 
saying,  "  I  shall  require  a  month."  At  the  end  of  the 
month  he  said,  "  I  shall  require  a  year."  And  at  the 
end  of  the  year  he  confessed,  "  O  king,  the  more  I 
think  of  him  the  less  I  know  of  him !  " 

Nevertheless,  we  must  know  God;  for  herein  lies 
the  secret  of  eternal  life.  We  came  out  from  him; 
we  shall  ultimately  return  to  him;  and  everything 
depends  on  our  being  right  with  him. 

Moreover,  it  is  morally  certain  that,  being  a  good 
God,  he  will  somehow  reveal  himself  to  us.  Would  an 
earthly  father  leave  his  children  to  wander  helplessly 


AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD  151 

and  hopelessly  in  a  barren  waste  forever?  How  then 
should  our  heavenly  Father  fail  to  interpose  in  our 
behalf  by  making  himself  known  to  us? 

But  how  can  he  make  himself  known  to  us?  How 
do  we  become  acquainted  with  each  other?  The  ordi- 
nary means  of  communication  between  man  and  man 
is  speech.  In  this  way  we  are  now  becoming  ac- 
quainted with  each  other.  The  majority  of  this  con- 
gregation I  have  never  seen  before  today ;  but  you  are 
now  being  introduced  to  me,  not  by  this  clerical  garb 
nor  by  my  features  but  by  my  word.  By  this  you 
will  presently  know  my  way  of  thinking,  my  moral 
convictions,  my  character  and  substantially  what  sort 
of  person  I  am.  In  like  manner  we  become  acquainted 
with  God.  His  Word  is  the  index  of  himself.  He 
speaks  and  behold,  we  know  him. 

Now  this  is  the  substance  of  the  Prologue  to  the 
Gospel  according  to  John :  which  is  one  of  the  most 
profound  portions  of  Scripture,  yet  so  simple  that  a 
child  may  comprehend  it.  And,  because  it  involves 
the  issues  of  life  eternal,  it  is  worthy  of  our  earnest 
consideration. 

"  In  the  beginning  was  the  Word." 

That  is  to  say,  before  the  creation  of  man,  or  the 
world,  or  chaos,  or  angels  and  archangels,  or  time  and 
space,  or  any  other  existing  thing — in  the  beginning — 
beyond  the  remotest  possibilities  of  thought — there  was 
the  Word.  As  yet  this  Word  was  unspoken.  It  was 
the  divine  Power  of  Speech,  waiting  to  find  expres- 
sion in  the  fulness  of  time.  It  was  there,  as  the  sun 
is  now  behind  our  hemisphere  biding  the  break  of 
day. 

"And  the  Word  was  with  God" 


152  AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD 

This  is  an  intimation  that  the  Word  was  distinct 
from  God :  or  that  Christ  is  distinct  in  personality 
from  the  Father  who  sends  him.  If  you  see  an  elderly 
man  walking  down  the  street  and  talking  with  a 
younger  one,  it  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  these 
are  two.  So  when  you  hear  of  Christ  being  "  with  " 
the  Father  and  talking  with  him,  you  understand  of 
necessity  that  they  are  distinct  personalities. 

"And  the  Word  was  God." 

Here  is  an  affirmation  of  identity.  These  two  are 
one :  that  is,  Christ  in  substance,  though  not  in  per- 
sonality, is  identical  with  God ;  as  he  said :  "  I  and 
my  Father  are  one." 

Just  here  emerges  the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity.  It  is 
a  great  mystery ;  wherefore  it  would  be  folly  to  at- 
tempt to  explain  it.  "  Three  Persons  in  one  Sub- 
stance."    Let  it  go  at  that. 

Surely  you  are  not  going  to  reject  a  fact  because 
you  cannot  comprehend  it?  If  so  you  are  involved  in 
a  sea  of  troubles;  for  we  are  surrounded  by  mys- 
teries which  baffle  all  research.  If  you  will  explain 
how  you  yourself,  as  a  tripartite  man,  are  so  co- 
ordinated that  body  and  animating  spirit  and  immortal 
soul  work  together  harmoniously  in  all  the  experiences 
of  common  life :  nay  more,  if  you  will  explain  how 
mind  so  influences  matter  that  I  can  lift  my  hand  at 
will,  I  will  agree  to  make  perfectly  clear  to  you  the 
mystery  of  the  triune  God.  So  long  as  such  simple 
and  indisputable  facts  as  these  are  conceded  to  be 
inexplicable  it  should  be  obvious  that  a  divine  fact 
like  the  Trinity,  which  is  confessedly  not  contra- 
rational,  must  not  be  rejected  on  the  mere  ground 
that  we  cannot  comprehend  it. 


AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD  153 

"  All  things  were  made  by  him  and  without  him  was 
not  anything  made  that  was  made." 

That  is,  all  things  were  created  by  the  Word  or  fiat 
of  God.  "  He  spake  and  it  was  done ;  he  commanded 
and  it  stood  fast."  He  said,  "  Let  there  be  light": 
and  there  was  light.  It  is  a  significant  fact  that 
wherever  "  the  Lord  "  occurs  in  the  account  of  the 
creation  the  Chaldaic,  which  is  the  oldest  version  of 
the  Scriptures,  substitutes  Memra  or  "  The  Word," 
precisely  as  we  have  it  in  this  Prologue.  Thus  Christ 
as  the  Word,  or  expression  of  the  divine  mind,  is 
represented  as  bringing  all  things  that  are  out  of  those 
that  were  not. 

"In  him  was  life  and  the  life  was  the  light  of 
men." 

That  is,  Christ  the  Word,  who  originated  all  exist- 
ing things,  was  also  the  self-existing  source  and  centre 
not  only  of  material  but  of  spiritual  life ;  and  as  such 
he  has  never  failed  to  manifest  himself  in  some  man- 
ner to  the  children  of  men.  His  light  before  the  Ad- 
vent was  like  that  of  the  moon  and  stars  which  shine 
before  the  rising  of  the  sun. 

God  is  manifest  in  nature ;  but  "  nature  speaks  a 
various  tongue  " ;  wherefore  many  a  scientist  guided 
only  by  this  dim  and  imperfect  light,  has  bowed  God 
out  of  doors  by  affirming  that  all  things  have  come 
into  existence  and  continued  by  the  calm  processes  of 
impersonal  law. 

He  manifests  himself  in  history  also;  yet  when  the 
nations  march  to  Armageddon  men  fail  to  comprehend 
the  logic  of  events  and  cry,  "  How  can  there  be  a  God 
while  such  things  be?" 

He    manifests    himself     in     personal    experience. 


154  AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD 

u  There's  a  Divinity  that  shapes  our  ends,  rough  hew 
them  how  we  will."  Nevertheless,  while  things  go 
right,  men  are  likely  to  conclude  that  they  need  no 
God;  and  when  things  go  wrong,  they  decline  to  call 
upon  him. 

He  watched  over  you  last  night  as  carefully  as  ever 
a  mother  held  an  ailing  infant  in  her  arms;  and  quite 
possibly  you  awoke  and  went  about  your  business 
without  the  scant  courtesy  of  thanks.  You  breathe 
his  air  and  eat  his  food  with  scarcely  a  thought  of 
him.  By  this  we  conclude  that  "  natural  theology  "  is 
not  enough.  "  The  light  shineth  in  darkness  and  the 
darkness  comprehendeth  it  not.'' 

What  more  can  he  do?  O  that  he  would  speak 
to  us !  Then  surely  would  we  hear  his  Word  and 
know  him.  So  be  it.  Enter  Christ — the  incarnate 
Word  of  God ! 

"  The  Word  was  made  flesh  and  dwelt  among  us." 

The  divine  speech  is  thus  articulated.  We  call  it 
the  Incarnation.  In  Christ  we  have  the  full  and  com- 
plete expression  of  the  mind  of  God.  The  Light  of  the 
Life  now  shines  so  clearly  that  those  who  dwell  in 
darkness  are  without  excuse  if  they  fail  to  compre- 
hend  it. 

"  There  comes  a  galley  laden, 
A  heavenly  freight  on  board; 
It  bears  God's  Son,  the  Saviour, 
The  great  undying  Word. 

"  And  proudly  floats  that  galley,    . 
From  troubled  coast  to  coast; 
Its  sail  is  love  and  mercy; 
Its  mast,  the  Holy  Ghost. 


AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD  155 

"  Now  earth  hath  caught  the  anchor, 
The  ship  hath  touched  the  strand; 
God's  Word,  in  fleshly  garment, 
The  Son,  steps  out  on  land ! " 

It  is  related  that  when  Ulysses  came  back  from  his 
Trojan  campaign  he  entered  his  home  in  full  armour; 
whereupon  his  son,  overcome  by  terror,  fled  from  him. 
He  then  unbound  his  helmet  and  laid  aside  his  coat  of 
glittering  mail,  and  straightway  the  child  ran  sobbing 
with  joy  to  his  outstretched  arms.  Thus  does  God  in 
Christ  adjust  his  glory  to  our  weakness.  The  Word 
which  he  speaks  is  "  altogether  lovely."  Who  among 
us  can  resist  it  ?    Christ  is  God's  "  Come  unto  me." 

But  alas,  he  comes  unto  his  own  and  his  own  re- 
ceive him  not !  I  doubt  not  there  are  men  and  women 
here  tonight,  as  yet  unacquainted  with  God,  who  re- 
fuse to  approach  him  through  this  "  new  and  living 
way."  But  listen  to  this :  "  To  as  many  as  received 
him,  to  them  gave  he  power  to  become  the  sons  of 
God  !  "  Thus  do  we  recover  our  birthright  lost  through 
sin.  "  If  sons  then  heirs,  heirs  of  God  and  joint  heirs 
with  Jesus  Christ  to  an  inheritance  incorruptible  and 
undented  and  that  fadeth  not  away."  Behold,  what 
manner  of  love  is  here!  How  can  any  man  turn  his 
back  upon  it? 

So  runs  the  Prologue ;  and  now  John  is  ready  to  go 
on  with  his  book.     But  why  should  he  go  on  with  it? 

Why  must  there  be  a  written  Word  to  supplement 
the  incarnate  Word? 

Because  Christ  lived  in  a  remote  corner  of  the 
world  for  only  a  brief  period  of  thirty-three  years; 
while  his  redemptive  work  was  intended  for  all  ages 
and  generations  to  the  furthest  limit  of  time.    His  min- 


156  AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD 

istry  must  be  universalized  and  perpetuated.  The 
incarnate  Word  is  therefore  complemented  by  the 
written  Word;  which  is  to  abide  as  the  one  ultimate 
and  infallible  authority  for  all  that  God  has  spoken. 

In  this  binomial  Word,  incarnate  and  written,  God 
makes  a  complete  revelation  of  himself  to  the  whole 
world  and  to  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  men. 

I  give  the  average  man  credit  for  a  sincere  desire  to 
know  the  truth  and  live  up  to  it.  The  difficulty  is  that 
he  is  so  absorbed  in  secular  life  that  when  God  speaks 
he  either  does  not  hear  or  fails  to  consider  it.  Once 
when  Jesus  was  teaching  in  Solomon's  Porch  there 
came  a  Voice  from  heaven  attesting  his  divine  mis- 
sion ;  and  the  people  who  stood  by  said,  "  It  thunder- 
eth !  "  So  loath  are  we  to  rightly  interpret  the  Voice. 
Listen,  my  friend,  and  you  will  hear  it! 

A  hunting  party  in  the  desert,  having  captured  a 
score  of  antelopes  with  other  game,  found  themselves 
short  of  water.  On  the  point  of  famishing,  their  lips 
parched  with  thirst,  they  knew  not  what  to  do.  A 
happy  thought  then  occurred  to  one  of  them :  "  Let 
loose  the  antelopes."  It  was  done ;  and  the  antelopes, 
with  the  scent  of  water  in  their  nostrils,  made  straight 
for  the  springs.  As  God's  men  and  women,  made  in 
his  likeness  and  after  his  image,  we  have  within  us 
natural  impulses  that,  but  for  the  hindrance  of  our 
meaner  selves,  would  go  coursing  back  to  him.  Mind, 
conscience,  heart  and  sovereign  will,  if  left  to  their 
right  direction,  would  straightway  see  his  glory  in  the 
face  of  his  beloved  Son  and  accept  in  him  eternal  life. 
"  As  the  hart  panteth  after  the  water  brooks,  so  pant- 
eth  my  soul  after  thee,  O  God !  " 

The  nature  of  sin  is  suicidal.     It  "  giveth  wine  to 


AN  INTELLIGIBLE  GOD  157 

them  that  are  under  sentence  of  death."  It  dulls  the 
fine  edge  of  conscience  in  the  hour  of  temptation, 
suppresses  all  our  highest  hopes  and  aspirations,  and 
makes  us  indifferent  to  the  warnings  and  exhortations 
of  a  Father  who  loves  us  with  a  love  that  passeth 
knowledge.  "  Oh  that  my  people  had  hearkened  unto 
me,  saith  the  Lord ;  then  would  I  have  fed  them  with 
the  finest  of  the  wheat,  and  with  honey  out  of  the  rock 
would  I  have  satisfied  them." 

It  is  written,  "  God  who  at  sundry  times  and  in 
diverse  manners  spake  in  time  past  unto  the  fathers 
by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last  days  spoken  unto  us 
by  his  Son  " ;  and  this  is  followed  by  the  significant 
question,  "  How  shall  we  escape  if  we  neglect  so  great 
salvation?"  It  behooves  us  to  "stop,  look  and 
listen  " ;  for  Christ  is  God's  Word,  his  great  Word, 
his  loving  Word,  and  his  last  Word  to  sinful  men. 


XVII 

A  MODEL  CHURCH 

"  And  they  continued  steadfastly  in  the  apostles'  teaching 
and  fellowship,  and  in  breaking  of  bread  and  in  prayers.  And 
fear  came  upon  every  soul ;  and  many  wonders  and  signs  were 
wrought  by  the  apostles.  And  all  that  believed  were  together, 
and  had  all  things  common,  and  sold  their  possessions  and 
goods  and  parted  them  to  all,  as  every  man  had  need.  And 
they,  continuing  daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple  and 
breaking  bread  from  house  to  house,  did  eat  their  meat  with 
gladness  and  singleness  of  heart,  praising  God  and  having 
favour  with  all  the  people.  And  the  Lord  added  to  the  church 
daily  such  as  should  be  saved." — Acts  2 :  42-47. 

THE  passengers  on  an  Atlantic  steamer  awoke 
one  morning  to  find  themselves  passing  the 
Azores.  On  their  right  the  island  of  San 
Miguel  rose  precipitously  to  a  height  of  three  thousand 
feet,  sloping  toward  the  east.  The  sky  was  overcast; 
the  sea  gulls  were  flying  in  and  out  of  their  caves, 
chattering  of  an  approaching  storm.  The  island  was 
overshadowed  by  dense  clouds ;  but  as  we  left  it  in  the 
distance  a  rift  opened  overhead,  through  which  the 
sunshine  fell  brightly  on  a  valley  toward  the  summit, 
where  flocks  could  be  seen  peacefully  grazing  in  the 
fields,  and  men  and  women,  looking  like  pigmies,  were 
going  about  the  tasks  of  the  day. 

I  thought  of  that  scene  as  I  read  this  brief  account 
of  the  early  Church:  a  little  company  of  believers, 
assembled  between  the  two  opposing  seas  of  Judaism 

158 


A  MODEL  CHURCH  159 

and  Paganism,  with  the  clouds  of  persecution  gather- 
ing thickly  above  them.  How  gloriously  the  sunshine 
of  God's  grace  and  blessing  seemed  to  rest  upon  them ! 

This  was  indeed  an  ideal  Church,  a  forecast  of  what 
every  Church  should  be. 

I.  Observe,  to  begin  with,  it  was  a  Christian 
Church;  that  is,  Christ  was  the  vital  centre  of  it. 

It  was  only  a  month  before  this  that  the  Lord  had 
said  farewell  to  his  disciples  in  the  upper  room.  At 
that  time  he  had  instituted  the  sacrament,  saying,  "  Do 
this  in  remembrance  of  me."  It  was  as  when  a  mother 
on  her  death-bed  leaves  a  keep-sake  to  her  children, 
saying,  "  As  often  as  you  see  this,  think  of  me."  And 
these  early  disciples  were  loyal  to  their  trust;  for 
"  they  continued  daily  in  the  breaking  of  bread  from 
house  to  house."  The  Lord  was  made  known  to  them, 
as  to  the  disciples  of  Emmaus,  in  this  breaking  of 
bread ;  and  thus  they  gratefully  remembered  him.  The 
glow  and  atmosphere  of  his  personal  presence  still 
lingered  about  them.  They  talked  of  him ;  they  called 
to  mind  the  words  which  he  had  spoken.  Their  greet- 
ing was  not  "  Good-night "  and  "  Good-morning,"  but 
Maranatha,  that  is,  "  The  Lord  cometh !  "  He  had 
scarcely  gone,  and  lo !  they  were  already  looking  for 
his  return.  The  apostles  were  their  preachers;  and 
they  did  not  discourse  on  the  hypotheses  of  science  or 
the  dreams  of  philosophy,  or  on  "  fixed  fate,  free  will, 
fore-knowledge  absolute,"  but  on  Christ  crucified,  who 
had  said,  "  I,  if  I  be  lifted  up,  will  draw  all  men  unto 
me. 

This  is  what  every  Church  ought  to  be.  Its  preach- 
ers should  preach  Christ;  and  its  members  should 
find  in  him  their  all  in  all. 


160  A  MODEL  CHURCH 

II.  Moreover,  this  was  an  orthodox  Church:  As 
it  is  written,  "  They  gladly  received  his  word,  and  con- 
tinued steadfastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine." 

The  word  of  Christ  was  their  ultimate  rule  of  faith : 
but  they  received  the  teaching  of  the  apostles  as  of 
equal  authority,  since  he  himself  had  said,  "  He  that 
heareth  you,  heareth  me."  He  had  appointed  his  apos- 
tles to  formulate  his  doctrine  and  had  inspired  them 
accordingly.  So  from  the  teaching  of  Christ  and  his 
apostles  these  early  Christians  derived  a  definite  creed. 
They  believed  something  and  were  able  to  give  a  rea- 
son for  the  faith  that  was  in  them. 

This,  also,  is  what  every  Church  ought  to  be:  a 
company  of  believers  holding  to  the  great  verities  of 
the  Christian  faith  and  expecting  to  adjust  their  con- 
duct to  their  creed ;  since  "  as  a  man  thinketh  in  his 
heart  so  is  he." 

III.  Again,  this  was  a  praying  Church:  as  it  is 
written,  "  they  continued  steadfastly  in  prayer,  and 
were  daily  with  one  accord  in  the  temple,  and  went 
from  house  to  house  praising  God." 

The  temple  was  still  recognized  as  the  house  of 
God,  and,  inasmuch  as  Christ  was  "  the  hope  of 
Israel,"  it  was  natural  that  these  disciples  should  be- 
lieve that  sooner  or  later  the  Jews  would  accept  him. 
Was  not  Jesus  a  Jew  ?  Had  it  not  been  written,  "  Sal- 
vation is  of  the  Jews  "  ?  No  doubt  these  early  Chris- 
tians joined  with  all  their  hearts  in  the  temple  service 
when  the  Jews  sang  responsively  their  Messianic 
psalms.  Alas,  for  the  hope  of  Israel!  How  far  the 
temple  and  the  synagogues  have  drifted  away  from 
him! 

And  these  Christians  prayed  also  "  from  house  to 


A  MODEL  CHURCH  161 

house."  In  every  home,  according  to  custom,  there 
was  a  family  altar.  The  neighbours  were  invited  in. 
In  these  neighbourhood  gatherings,  under  the  linger- 
ing shadow  of  the  cross  and  in  the  sunlight  of  Olivet, 
they  praised  the  God  of  their  salvation. 

And  this  surely  is  what  every  Church  should  be ; 
a  place  of  prayer  "  without  ceasing,"  where  the  fire  on 
the  altar  never  goes  out.    For 

"  Prayer  is  the  Christian's  vital  breath, 
The  Christian's  native  air; 
His  watchword  at  the  gate  of  death; 
He  enters  heaven  with  prayer." 

IV.  Furthermore,  this  was  a  practising  Church. 
The   faith   which   the   disciples   professed   in   their 

creed  and  in  their  mutual  prayers  was  translated  into 
the  terms  of  daily  life,  else  would  it  never  have  been 
written  that  "  they  had  favour  with  all  the  people." 
They  were  compassed  about  with  witnesses,  who  were 
watching  them,  taking  knowledge  of  them,  and  passing 
judgment  upon  them.  And  they  were  regarded  with 
favour  by  these  witnesses  because  it  was  seen  that  they 
were  exemplifying  their  profession  in  a  consistent  life. 
This,  too,  is  what  every  Church  ought  to  be.  Christ 
said,  "  Ye  are  the  salt  of  the  earth ;  but  if  the  salt  have 
lost  its  savour  wherewith  shall  it  be  salted?  It  is 
thenceforth  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be  cast  out  and 
to  be  trodden  under  foot  of  men.  Ye  are  the  light 
of  the  world ;  let  your  light  so  shine  before  men  that 
they  may  see  your  good  works  and  glorify  God." 

V.  Further  still,  this  was  a  fraternal  Church;  so 
much  so  that  "  they  had  all  things  common." 

The  Communism  here  referred  to  is  like  a  fore- 


162  A  MODEL  CHURCH 

gleam  of  the  Golden  Age  when  "  man  to  man  the 
world  o'er  shall  brothers  be."  There  was  no  respect 
of  persons  among  these  early  Christians.  There  were 
some  who  owned  property  while  others  were  prisoners 
of  poverty:  but  all  were  knit  together  by  brotherly 
love.  There  was  no  Utopian  dream  of  Communism 
in  this  community.  It  is  not  written  that  goods  and 
possessions  were  sold  except  so  far  as  "  every  man  had 
need."  The  rich  regarded  their  wealth  as  a  divine 
trust  and,  as  stewards,  they  held  it  at  the  divine  call :  so 
that,  when  there  was  need,  they  gladly  sold  and  im- 
parted to  the  poor.  The  Church  was  thus  a  fraternal 
guild  for  mutual  helpfulness. 

This  is  obviously  what  every  Church  should  be.  The 
sanctuary  is  the  one  place  in  all  the  world  where  rich 
and  poor  should  meet  together  and  acknowledge  the 
Lord  as  the  maker  of  them  all. 

VI.  Again,  this  Church  kept  open  house;  so  that 
others  were  "  added  to  it  daily." 

The  pew-rental  system  had  not  yet  come  into  vogue. 
There  was  welcome  and  a  glad  hand  for  all.  It  was 
a  quarter  of  a  century  later  when  James  was  moved  to 
write,  "  My  brethren,  have  not  the  faith  of  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  with  respect  of  persons ;  for  if  there  come 
unto  your  assembly  a  man  with  a  gold  ring  in  goodly 
apparel  and  there  come  in  also  a  poor  man  in  vile 
raiment,  and  ye  have  respect  to  him  that  weareth  the 
gay  clothing  and  say  unto  him  Sit  thou  here  in  a  good 
place,  and  say  to  the  poor  Stand  thou  there  or  Sit 
here  under  my  foot-stool,  are  ye  not  then  partial  in 
yourselves  and  are  become  judges  of  evil  thought? 
Hearken,  my  beloved  brethren ;  hath  not  God  chosen 
the  poor  of  this  world  rich  in  faith  and  heirs  of  the 


A  MODEL  CHURCH  163 

kingdom  which  he  hath  promised  to  them  that  love 
him?  " 

This  also  indicates  what  every  Church  should  be. 
No  cold  shoulder  to  strangers ;  no  distinctions  of  caste ; 
no  front  seat  for  the  man  with  a  gold  ring  and  back 
seat  for  the  man  in  mean  apparel.  Welcome  is  the 
shibboleth  that  will  win  the  people.  No  waiting  in 
the  vestibule  till  pewholders  are  seated.  If  there  must 
needs  be  a  pew-rental,  let  it  be  understood  that  the 
Church  is  not  the  house  of  the  pewholder,  but  the 
house  of  God.  There  must  be  an  equally  cordial  wel- 
come for  all. 

VII.  Once  more  this  was  a  Church  where  signs 
and  wonders  were  wrought. 

The  miracle  of  Pentecost  had  just  occurred.  The 
apostles  had  been  endowed  with  the  charismata,  that 
is,  miraculous  gifts  of  healing.  These  were  necessary 
in  the  infancy  of  the  Church,  as  a  scaffolding  is  while 
a  building  is  being  erected;  but  they  were  merely  in- 
cidental and  tributary  to  the  important  work  which 
the  disciples  of  Christ  were  called  upon  to  do.  Their 
supreme  miracle  was  not  the  healing  of  the  sick,  but 
the  conversion  of  souls.  In  one  day  there  were  added 
unto  them  about  three  thousand.  What  a  day  that 
must  have  been  when  the  voices  of  the  three  thousand 
were  raised  with  one  accord  in  thanksgiving  for  de- 
liverance from  sin ! 

And  this,  we  will  agree,  is  what  every  Church  ought 
to  be.  The  annual  report  of  one  of  our  largest  de- 
nominations shows  that  last  year  the  ingathering  was 
approximately  one  soul  for  each  Church.  There  is 
a  famine  in  the  land !  Why  should  not  revivals  be 
the  rule  rather  than  the  exception  in  our  Churches? 


164  A  MODEL  CHURCH 

Is  God's  arm  shortened  that  he  cannot  save?  Has 
he  forgotten  his  promise,  "  If  earthly  parents  know 
how  to  give  good  gifts  to  their  children,  how  much 
more  shall  your  Father  in  Heaven  give  the  Holy 
Ghost  to  them  that  ask  of  him?"  Where  is  the 
blame?  Do  we  really  want  revivals?  Have  we  a 
passion  for  souls?  Do  we  recognize  the  vitarl  impor- 
tance of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost?  Or  are  we  in 
default  as  to  our  tithes ;  our  tithes  of  time  and  energy 
as  well  as  of  earthly  possessions?  The  promise  holds 
good,  now  as  ever,  "  Bring  ye  all  the  tithes  into  the 
storehouse,  that  there  may  be  meat  in  mine  house,  and 
prove  me  now  herewith,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  if  I 
I  will  not  open  the  windows  of  heaven  and  pour  you 
out  a  blessing  that  there  shall  not  be  room  enough  to 
receive  it." 

But  there  was  one  thing  lacking  in  this  early  Church; 
to  wit,  the  missionary  spirit. 

The  Lord  had  said,  "  Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature."  He  had  told 
them  to  "  preach  repentance  and  remission  of  sins  in 
his  name  among  all  nations  beginning  at  Jerusalem." 
But  they  remained  at  Jerusalem,  seeming  to  be  content 
with  their  work  among  their  townsmen.  They  needed 
a  broader  vision  of  the  world-wide  conquest.  They 
were  working  in  upon  themselves  and  zealously  hus- 
banding their  resources  in  Jerusalem  while  the  un- 
evangelized  world  was  stretching  out  its  hands  and 
calling  "  Come  over  and  help  us !  " 

How  should  this  little  home-keeping  company  of 
Christians  be  broken  up?  Not  long  after  the  miracle 
of  Pentecost  the  Evangelist  Stephen  was  stoned.  This 
was   the   signal   of   persecution.     The   disciples    with 


A  MODEL  CHURCH  165 

blanched  faces  fled  for  their  lives ;  "  and  they  that  were 
scattered  abroad  went  everywhere  preaching  the 
Word."  God  will  have  his  way  with  us.  If  we  refuse 
to  learn  the  lesson  of  the  miracle  of  the  loaves  he  will 
teach  us  our  duty  by  the  miracle  of  the  storm.  The 
Church  that  tarries  at  Jerusalem  cannot  prosper.  The 
Gospel  is  not  a  pool  on  a  private  reservation,  but  a 
river  watering  the  fields  everywhere  on  its  glad  way 
to  the  sea.  The  ethical  imperative  is  upon  us.  The 
duty  of  the  Christian  is  to  go.  Go  ye  out  into  the 
highways  and  the  hedges.  Go  ye  into  the  dense  centres 
of  life!  Go  ye  out  to  the  frontiers!  Go  to  the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth.  Go  everywhere  and  constrain 
souls  to  come  in !  Go  in  person  if  you  can ;  by  your 
influence  in  any  case.  But  go  the  Church  must,  and 
every  soul  within  it. 

All  this  is  clear  enough  in  the  light  of  that  early 
picture  of  the  ideal  Church.  We  will  agree  that  this 
is  what  every  Church  ought  to  be :  but  we  will  also 
probably  agree  that  this  is  not  what  the  Church  is. 
What  then?  It  is  the  obvious  duty  of  every  true 
Christian  to  do  his  utmost  to  make  it  so. 

If  we  were  faithful  in  our  appointed  places,  the 
result  would  be  like  that  which  was  portrayed  by 
Piimyan  in  his  Palace  Beautiful.  Then  said  Christian 
to  the  porter,  "  Sir,  what  house  is  this ;  and  may  I 
lodge  here  for  the  night?"  He  answered,  "This  is 
the  house  of  the  Lord  of  the  Hill,  and  he  built  it  for 
the  relief  and  security  of  pilgrims."  The  bell  was  rung 
and  the  door  was  opened,  and  he  was  welcomed  by 
many  of  the  family  who  said,  4l  Come  in  thou  blessed 
of  the  Lord."  The  supper  being  over  he  was  led  to  a 
chamber  called  Peace,  with  a  window  toward  the  East; 


166  A  MODEL  CHURCH 

and  when  the  day  broke,  after  a  pleasant  sleep,  he 
awoke  and  looked  forth  on  the  Delectable  Mountains, 
and  saw  in  the  far  distance  the  Celestial  City;  where- 
upon he  sang: 

"Where  am  I  now?    Is  this  the  loving  care 
Of  Jesus  for  the  men  that  pilgrims  are; 
Thus  to  provide  that  I  should  be  forgiven, 
And  dwell  already  the  next  door  to  heaven?  " 

Yes,  this  is  what  the  Church  ought  to  be :  a  place  pro- 
vided for  the  entertainment  of  strangers,  "  the  next 
door  to  heaven,"  with  foretastes  of  the  joys  which 
there  await  us. 

A  word  to  those  who  remain  outside  of  the  Church 
because  it  is  not  what  it  ought  to  be.  There  is  an  old 
proverb  which  says  that  people  who  live  in  glass  houses 
should  not  throw  stones.  We  admit  that  the  Church  is 
not  what  it  ought  to  be,  and  that  we  are  no  better  than 
we  ought  to  be;  but  we  are  putting  up  the  best  fight 
we  can  for  character  and  usefulness.  We  stumble  and 
fall,  but  by  God's  grace,  we  press  on. 

If  you  are  like  minded  you  could  not  do  better  than 
join  us :  that  is,  if  you  feel  the  need  of  Christ  as  your 
Saviour  and  are  ready  to  accept  him.  Come  thou  with 
us  and  we  will  do  thee  good.  You  can  help  us;  and 
we  can  help  you  while  we  journey  on  together  toward 
a  better  country,  even  an  heavenly,  and  toward  the 
city  that  hath  foundations  whose  builder  and  maker 
is  God. 


XVIII 

YEA  AND  NAY 

"  But  as  God  is  true,  our  word  toward  you  was  not  yea  and 
nay.  For  the  Son  of  God,  Jesus  Christ,  who  was  preached 
among  you  by  us,  was  not  yea  and  nay;  but  in  him  was  yea. 
For  all  the  promises  of  God  in  him  are  yea  and  in  him  Amen, 
unto  the  glory  of  God  by  us."— II  Cor.  i :  18. 

THE  apostle  was  on  the  defensive ;  his  back  was 
against  the  wall. 
In  a  letter  written  some  time  previously  to 
the  Christians  of  Corinth  he  had  promised  to  make 
them  a  visit  before  he  went  to  Macedonia  and,  if  pos- 
sible, to  spend  the  winter  with  them.  He  had  not 
come;  therefore  he  was  charged  with  breaking  his 
word.  It  is  a  slight  matter  to  break  an  arm  or  a 
bloodvessel,  as  compared  with  breaking  one's  word. 
But  Paul  was  not  to  blame.  The  fact  was  that  he 
had  been  prevented  by  a  severe  attack  of  illness  from 
doing  as  he  had  promised :  but  his  explanation  was 
briefly  disposed  of.  He  was  less  concerned  for  the 
vindication  of  his  own  truthfulness  than  for  the  incul- 
cation of  certain  truths  which  had  a  vital  bearing  on 
the  spiritual  welfare  of  his  Corinthian  friends.  "  It 
matters  little,'*  he  writes,  "  what  you  think  of  me  per- 
sonally, so  long  as  you  receive  the  essential  facts  of 
the  Gospel  to  the  saving  of  your  souls." 
i     The  first  of  these  fundamental  facts  is  that  God  is 

167 


168  YEA  AND  NAY 

true.  In  another  place  he  emphasizes  this  in  still 
stronger  terms,  "  Let  God  be  true  and  every  man  a 
liar"  (Romans  3:4). 

My  associate,  in  his  opening  prayer,  referred  to 
God  as  "  the  great  Constant " :  that  is,  the  always 
dependable  One.  "  With  him  is  no  variableness, 
neither  shadow  cast  by  turning."  He  is  characterized 
as  "  the  God  of  truth."  His  yea  is  yea  and  his  nay 
is  nay;  and  there  is  no  possibility  of  misunderstanding 
him. 

It  is  said  that  when  the  Shorter  Catechism  was 
being  prepared  by  the  Westminster  Assembly  of 
divines  a  grave  perplexity  arose  as  to  the  proper 
definition  of  God.  One  of  the  younger  men  was  asked 
to  pray  for  guidance.  He  began  in  this  manner :  "  O 
God,  thou  who  art  a  spirit  infinite,  eternal,  and  un- 
changeable in  thy  being,  wisdom,  power,  holiness,  jus- 
tice, goodness  and  truth " ;  and  those  words  were 
incorporated  in  the  historic  symbol  as  furnishing  the 
best  definition  of  God.  He  is  indeed  "  unchangeable 
in  his  truth."  When  he  speaks  it  is  without  vagueness 
or  equivocation.  His  word  is  always  the  truth,  the 
whole  truth  and  nothing  but  the  truth. 

It  is  not  so  with  Satan.  Of  him  Jesus  said,  "  He  is 
a  liar  and  the  father  of  it."  The  first  temptation  was 
when  he  sat,  as  Milton  puts  it,  "  squat  like  a  toad 
beside  the  ear  of  Eve,"  saying  "  Yea,  hath  God  said 
'  In  the  day  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt  surely  die  ? ' 
Thou  shalt  not  surely  die !  "  Some  thousands  of  years 
after,  he  tempted  Sapphira  in  the  same  way.  When 
Peter  said  "  Tell  me  whether  ye  sold  the  land  for  so 
much,"  she  answered  "  Yea,  for  so  much."  This,  be- 
ing only  half  the  truth,  was  rightly  construed  as  a 


YEA  AND  NAY  169 

suggestion  of  Satan  to  "  lie  unto  the  Spirit  of  God." 

The  second  of  the  facts  affirmed  by  Paul  is  that 
"Jesus  Christ,  whom  we  have  preached  among  you, 
was  not  yea  and  nay;  but  in  him  was  yea." 

The  only-begotten  Son,  the  incarnate  Word  of  God, 
is  himself  the  living  and  perpetual  witness  to  the 
divine  veracity.  No  sooner  had  man  sinned  than  the 
protevangel  was  given,  "  The  Seed  of  woman  shall 
come  in  the  fulness  of  time  to  bruise  the  serpent's 
head  and  deliver  man  from  the  shame  and  penalty 
of  sin."  The  world  waited  four  thousand  years  for 
his  coming,  waited  so  long  that  the  lamps  of  the 
golden  candlestick  were  extinguished  and  hope  de- 
ferred had  made  the  heart  sick ;  and  then,  in  the  dark- 
est hour  which  is  just  before  dawn,  he  came !  The 
angel  of  the  annunciation  said  to  Joseph,  "  All  this 
is  come  to  pass  that  it  might  be  fulfilled  which  was 
spoken  by  the  prophet,  saying,  '  Behold  a  virgin  shall 
conceive  and  bear  a  Son,  and  his  name  shall  be  called 
Immanuel,  which  being  interpreted  is  God  with  us.'  ,J 
So  Christ,  the  great  Fulfillment,  is  himself  the  standing 
and  eternal  witness  to  the  divine  truth. 

And  his  teaching  was  never  yea  and  nay,  but  always 
yea.  No  one  who  listened  to  him,  as  he  preached 
in  the  streets  of  Jerusalem  or  in  Solomon's  Porch  or 
on  the  Mount  of  Olives,  ever  knit  his  brows  in  per- 
plexity as  if  to  say,  "  I  wonder  what  he  means."  He 
spoke  of  the  profoundest  mysteries  and  the  most  be- 
wildering problems  that  are  ever  presented  to  mortal 
minds ;  yet  his  logic  rang  clear  as  a  bell.  He  declared 
the  truth  about  the  truth  so  simply  that  the  humblest 
of  truth-seekers  could  comprehend  it. 

Ask  Jesus  what  he  thinks  about  God ;  "  God  is  a 


170  YEA  AND  NAY 

spirit;  and  they  that  worship  him  must  worship  him 
in  spirit  and  truth."  Ask  him  what  he  thinks  about 
immortality:  "I  am  the  resurrection  and  the  life;  he 
that  believeth  in  me,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall 
he  live;  and  he  that  liveth  and  believeth  in  me  shall 
never  die !  "  Ask  him  what  he  thinks  about  the  Bible  : 
"  Thy  Word  is  truth."  Ask  him  what  he  thinks  about 
heaven :  "  In  my  Father's  house  are  many  mansions ;  if 
it  were  not  so  I  would  have  told  you."  Ask  him  what 
he  thinks  about  hell :  he  answers  with  bated  breath, 
"  Their  fire  is  not  quenched ;  their  worm  dieth  not." 
You  may  not  like  his  teaching;  but  you  must  con- 
cede that  there  was  no  uncertainty  about  it. 

He  never  taught  with  an  if  or  a  perhaps  or  a  per- 
adventure  ;  but  always  with  a  "  Verily,  verily  I  say  unto 
you."  The  people  said,  "  He  teacheth  not  as  the 
scribes  " — that  is,  with  an  ever-recurring  reference  to 
the  opinions  of  others  who  had  gone  before  him — 
"  but  with  authority."  He  was  the  greatest  dogmatist 
that  ever  lived  in  this  world  of  ours.  "  Verily,  verily 
I  say  unto  youl  " 

Is  there  any  other  preacher  who  would  dare  to  speak 
that  way?  The  world  would  laugh  at  him.  That 
word  of  Jesus  "  I  say "  goes  crashing  through  the 
ancient  corridors  of  rabbinical  tradition  like  a  thunder- 
bolt. In  vain  will  you  search  for  any  note  of  com- 
promise. It  is  not  enough  for  him  to  claim  that  his 
teaching  is  true ;  he  said  "  I  am  the  Truth !  "  Before 
his  yea  all  schools  of  Philosophy  come  crashing  down. 
"  Ye  have  heard  how  it  was  said  by  them  of  old 
time ;  but  I  say  unto  you !  "  So  positive,  unqualified, 
dogmatic  and  distinctly  orthodox  was  the  teaching  of 
Christ.    It  was  precise  as  clockwork  and  clear  as  the 


YEA  AND  NAY  171 

shining  of  the  sun.  How  could  it  be  otherwise,  since 
he  claimed  to  be  the  incarnate  Word  of  God? 

The  third  fact  emphasized  by  Paul  is  that  the  prom- 
ises of  the  written  Word  were  not  yea  and  nay  but 
yea  and  amen,  unto  the  glory  of  God. 

The  Bible  is  a  handbook  of  "  exceeding  great  and 
precious  promises."  They  are  like  stepping-stones  to 
help  us  over  the  marshy  places  of  life.  Adam  Clark 
undertook  to  compile  them  under  a  series  of  cate- 
gories in  a  book  called  "  The  Faithful  Promiser."  His 
purpose  was  to  show  how  wonderfully  they  had  been 
fulfilled  in  history  and  human  experience.  But  there 
are  some  promises  that  he  could  not  include  in  his 
categories  because  they  are  mere  intimations  of  good 
things  to  come,  faint  suggestions  of  an  inheritance  as 
yet  undreamed  of.  Here  is  one  of  them :  "  Now  are 
we  sons  of  God,  but  it  doth  not  yet  appear  what  we 
shall  be."  O  my  friends,  great  surprises  await  us 
in  the  heavenly  life !  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear 
heard,  neither  have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  the 
things  which  God  has  prepared  for  them  that  love 
him." 

And  all  these  promises  are  "  yea  and  amen  in  him." 
You  may  read  your  Bible  through  without  finding 
ambiguity  in  any  of  them.  Any  such  ambiguity  would 
be  fatal  to  the  divine  truth.  The  three  great  promises 
of  the  ancient  Scriptures  have  to  do  with  the  Incarna- 
tion, the  Crucifixion  and  the  Resurrection  of  Christ. 
Put  an  if  under  the  manger  and  the  whole  Gospel  is 
blown  to  atoms.  Put  an  if  under  the  Cross  and  not 
only  the  hope  of  saints  militant  but  the  song  of  the 
saints  triumphant  is  reduced  to  the  stuff  that  dreams 
are  made  of.    Put  an  if  under  the  open  sepulchre,  and 


172  YEA  AND  NAY 

life  and  immortality  vanish  into  thin  air ;  as  Paul  else- 
where says,  "If  Christ  be  not  risen  then  they  which 
are  fallen  asleep  in  Christ  are  perished ;  our  preaching 
is  vain,  your  faith  also  is  vain,  ye  are  yet  in  your 
sins." 

The  fourth  proposition  which  Paul  lays  down  is 
that  his  own  preaching  is  not  yea  and  nay  but  always 
yea.  And  this  he  affirms  not  only  for  himself  but  for 
Silvanus  and  Timothy  and  the  other  apostles  who  were 
commissioned  to  preach  a  positive  Gospel  for  the  sal- 
vation of  men. 

The  reason  why  so-called  u  liberalism  "  takes  issue 
with  the  Pauline  theology  is  because  it  declines  all 
compromise  with  error.  The  fact  is,  however,  that 
Paul's  theology  is  simply  the  theology  of  Christ,  re- 
duced, by  his  authority  and  by  divine  inspiration,  to 
systematic  form.  He  stands  for  the  co-equal  Godhood 
of  Jesus,  the  infallible  integrity  of  Scripture  and  the 
vital  importance  of  justification  by  faith.  To  him 
these  are  yea  and  amen.  As  to  these  fundamental 
truths  his  trumpet  rings  with  a  note  of  unswerving 
loyalty  to  his  Lord,  a  note  of  fearless  confidence  out- 
measuring  that  of  Luther's  great  manifesto  "  Here  I 
stand ;  I  cannot  otherwise,  God  help  me !  " 

The  same  is  true  of  his  ethical  teaching.  The  Law 
of  Sinai,  so  far  from  being  abrogated  by  the  Law  of 
Olivet,  is  doubly  riveted  to  the  Christian  life  by  the 
Law  of  Liberty  wherewith  the  Son  makes  free. 
"  What  shall  we  say,  then  ?  Shall  we  go  on  to  sin  that 
grace  may  abound  ?  God  forbid !  For  being  made 
free  from  sin,  ye  are  become  the  servants  of  righteous- 
ness." Wherefore  Paul  concludes  that  a  Christian  is. 
bound  to  yoke  up  his  profession  with  practice  and 


YEA  AND  NAY  173 

bring  the  bottom  of  his  life  up  to  the  top  of  his  light. 
This,  in  his  philosophy,  is  "  the  glorious  liberty  of 
the  children  of  God." 

What,  now,  are  the  practical  lessons  for  us? 

For  me  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel,  the  lesson  is  a 
very  searching  one.  In  my  covenant  vow  I  volun- 
tarily entered  into  a  solemn  covenant  to  "  maintain  and 
defend  "  certain  doctrines  contained  in  the  Word  of 
God.  I  have,  therefore,  no  alternative  but  either  to 
stand  foresworn  or  to  imitate  the  straightforwardness 
of  Paul,  who  in  his  farewell  to  the  elders  of  Ephesus 
said,  "  I  take  you  to  record  that  I  have  not  shunned 
to  declare  the  whole  counsel  of  God."  If  this  means 
anything  it  means  that,  in  common  honesty,  I  am 
bound  to  "  keep  nothing  back "  but  to  declare  the 
whole  truth  about  the  truth  as  God  gives  me  to  see  it. 

I  am  not  at  liberty  to  play  fast  and  loose  with 
definitions,  which  is  as  blameworthy  as  uttering  false 
coin.  The  dictionary,  based  upon  immemorial  usage, 
is  the  accepted  standard  of  meanings.  It  was  a  true 
saying  of  Mirabeau  "  Words  are  things."  They  are 
more ;  they  are  living  things ;  they  are  living  thoughts 
and  beliefs  going  about  to  instruct  or  to  deceive  men. 

If  I  say  "  I  believe  in  God,"  while  inwardly  I  con- 
ceive him  to  be  mere  impersonal  Law  or  Energy  or 
"  a  something  not  ourselves  that  maketh  for  right- 
eousness," my  definition  is  not  that  of  common  cur- 
rency; and,  so  far  forth,  I  have  ceased  to  be  an 
honest  man. 

If  I  say  u  I  believe  in  the  only-begotten  Son  of 
God  "  while  holding  that  his  "  divinity  "  was  not  more 
than  that  of  other  men,  the  truth  is  not  in  me. 

If  I  say  I  believe  in  the  resurrection  of  Christ, 


174  YEA  AND  NAY 

meaning  only  that  his  influence  survived  him,  I  am 
deceiving  those  who  hear  me. 

If  I  say  "  I  believe  in  the  inspiration  of  the  Scrip- 
tures "  while  rejecting  the  claim  that  they  were  "  writ- 
ten by  holy  men  as  they  were  moved  by  the  spirit  of 
God,"  that  is,  "  God-breathed  "  and  necessarily  true,  I 
stand  self-convicted  of  duplicity  and  prevarication.  I 
am  playing  hocus-pocus  with  doctrines  which  I  have 
sworn  to  maintain  and  defend.  My  definitions,  pri- 
vately made,  are  not  coin  of  the  realm.  My  word  of 
honour  is  not  positive  but  yea  and  nay.  My  standard 
of  honesty  is  below  that  of  the  marketplace;  my 
I.O.U.  is  protested,  not  being  worth  the  paper  it  is 
written  on. 

But  the  lesson  has  a  wider  reach.  It  cuts  deep  into 
the  personal  honesty  of  all  who  profess  to  follow 
Christ.  A  true  Christian  is  under  bonds  to  say  what 
he  means  and  to  mean  precisely  what  he  says.  He  is 
to  imitate  Christ  in  his  devotion  to  truth.  "  Let  the 
mind  that  was  in  Christ  Jesus  be  also  in  you." 

"  Lord  make  me  like  thyself ; 
Lord  make  me  be  myself ; 
Seeming  as  one  who  lives  to  thee, 
And  being  what  I  seem  to  be." 

The  trouble  with  us  is  that  we  do  not  acquaint  our- 
selves with  Christ  sufficiently  to  catch  the  similitude 
of  his  life  and  character.  An  occasional  glimpse  of 
his  face,  in  our  morning  and  evening  devotions,  may 
be  enough  to  persuade  us  that  he  is  indeed  the  chief- 
est  among  ten  thousand  and  altogether  lovely,  but 
what  we  need  is  the  holding  of  his  hand  while  we  walk 
all  day  with  him.    Only  so  can  we  grow  into  the  like- 


YEA  AND  NAY  175 

ness  of  his  love  and  justice  and  absolute  clarity  of 
profession  and  life. 

A  South  Sea  islander  once  told  his  experience  in 
this  way :  "  I  heard  the  missionary  preach  about  sin ; 
and  he  and  I  were  like  two  canoes  going  side  by  side. 
Then  he  spoke  of  salvation;  and  I  dropped  behind, 
with  broken  mast  and  torn  sail.  The  winds  drove  me 
to  a  barren  shore  where  I  lay  hopeless  for  a  time. 
Then  I  arose  in  the  darkness  and  felt  my  way  like 
a  blind  man  groping  along  a  wall.  On  a  sudden  I 
touched  a  door:  it  opened  before  me,  and  there  stood 
my  Saviour  with  the  glory  shining  in  his  face.  Low 
at  his  feet,  I  cried,  '  Lord,  I  believe ! '  He  gave  me  his 
hand  and  lifted  me  up ;  saying  '  Let  us  walk  together.' 
So  now  I  walk  with  him." 

The  grip  of  that  hand  assures  the  Tightness  of  our 
lives.  Intimacy  with  him  is  our  safeguard  against 
all  allurements :  for  Truth  was  his  name  and  honesty 
was  the  keynote  of  his  life.  He  said,  "  Let  your  com- 
munication be  yea  yea,  nay  nay;  for  whatsoever  is 
more  than  these  cometh  to  evil."  Yea,  yea  to  truth ! 
Nay,  nay  to  error!  If  we  are  Christians  let  us  say 
so  and  stand  for  it. 


XIX 

THE  FAR-AWAY  LOOK 

"  For  our  light  affliction,  which  is  but  for  a  moment,  worketh 
for  us  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory; 
while  we  look  not  at  the  things  which  are  seen,  but  at  the 
things  which  are  not  seen ;  for  the  things  which  are  seen  are 
temporal,  but  the  things  which  are  not  seen  are  eternal." — 

II.  COR.  4:  17. 

IT  is  an  old  proverb  that  misfortunes  never  come 
singly :  or  as  Hamlet  puts  it,  "  When  sorrows 
come,  they  come  not  singly  but  in  great  bat- 
talions." So  it  was  with  this  man ;  he  was  submerged 
in  a  sea  of  troubles.  Hear  him,  "  Once  was  I  stoned, 
thrice  I  suffered  shipwreck,  five  times  have  I  received 
forty  stripes  save  one ;  in  journeying  often,  in  perils  of 
waters,  in  perils  of  robbers,  in  perils  of  mine  own 
countrymen,  in  perils  in  the  city,  in  perils  in  the 
wilderness,  in  weariness  and  painfulness;  in  hunger 
and  thirst,  in  cold  and  nakedness,  in  labours  abun- 
dant, in  prisons  frequent,  in  death  oft."  Yet  what  an 
effervescent  spirit  have  we  here !  "  None  of  these 
things  move  me.  I  am  troubled  on  every  side  yet 
not  distressed,  perplexed  but  not  in  despair,  perse- 
cuted but  not  forsaken,  cast  down  but  not  destroyed. 
If  I  must  needs  glory  I  will  glory  in  tribulation! " 

He  speaks  of  his  afflictions  as  "  light."  To  him  they 
are  like  the  feathers  of  a  bird,  a  burden  indeed,  yet 
helping  him  to  mount  upward  into  the  clearer  air. 

176 


THE  FAR-AWAY  LOOK  177 

He  speaks  of  them  as  "  but  for  a  moment,"  when 
in  point  of  fact  they  had  continued  for  upward  of 
thirty  years  with  scarcely  a  breathing  spell.  It  re- 
minds us  of  old  Robert  Herrick's  song,  "  Tumble  me 
down,  and  I  will  sit  exultant  on  my  ruins  yet !  "  How 
shall  we  account  for  it? 

By  the  far-away  look  in  his  eyes.  He  is  seeing 
things  beyond  the  here  and  now.  He  thinks  of  him- 
self as  belonging  to  two  worlds.  He  is  a  pilgrim  on 
his  way  to  a  better  country,  and  the  hardships  that 
befall  him  are  as  when  a  king's  messenger  trips  and 
falls  and  with  the  cry,  "  It  is  nothing,"  hurries  on. 
Thus,  as  Shakespeare  says,  "  The  labour  we  delight  in 
physics  pain." 

I.  One  of  the  two  worlds  to  which  this  man  belongs 
is  the  zvorld  of  the  seen;  made  up  of  the  sum  total  of 
material  things  which  can  be  apprehended  by  the 
physical  senses. 

This  is  the  world  of  Natural  Science,  which  takes 
cognizance  of  nothing  but  tangible  facts.  Its  denizens 
are  materialists.  They  see  gold  and  therefore  covet  it. 
They  hear  the  sounds  of  merry-making  in  Vanity  Fair 
and  mingle  with  it.  They  feel  the  pangs  of  hunger 
and  thirst  and  cry,  "  Let  us  eat  and  drink,  for  to- 
morrow we  die ! " 

This  world  of  the  seen  is  a  little  world.  It  is  like 
a  ten-acre  farm  among  the  hills,  where  a  man  toils 
with  never  a  look  beyond  his  narrow  environment 
of  time  and  space.  No  dreams  o£~Garcassonne !  The 
hills  and  the  clouds  are  his  horizons,  and  they  fold 
him  in. 

It  is  a  transitory  world.  Not  long  ago  the  Czar  of 
Russia   sat   upon  a  throne   which   seemed   most   real, 


178  THE  FAR-AWAY  LOOK 

because  he  could  lay  his  hand  upon  it.  He  wore  a 
crown  which,  despite  its  sparkling  glories  weighed  as 
a  real  burden  on  a  weary  brow.  He  wielded  a  sceptre 
whereat  a  hundred  millions  of  abject  people  trembled 
and  bowed  low.  Where  are  they  now  ?  "  Sceptre  and 
crown  must  tumble  down,  and  in  the  dust  be  equal 
made  with  the  poor  crooked  scythe  and  spade."  So 
passes  away  the  glory  of  this  little  world. 

"  The  cloud-capp'd  towers,  the  gorgeous  palaces, 
The  solemn  temples,  the  great  globe  itself, 
Yea,  all  which  it  inherit,  shall  dissolve 
And,  like  this  unsubstantial  pageant  faded, 
Leave  not  a  rack  behind." 

In  view  of  such  considerations  what  fools  we  are  to 
live  for  things  that  perish  with  the  using;  to  toil 
with  muckrakes  for  yellow  dust  that  will  presently 
sift  through  our  cold  fingers,  to  seek  for  pleasure  in 
laughter  that  dies  away  like  the  crackling  of  thorns; 
to  climb  up  ladders  to  earthly  emolument  with  nothing 
but  day-dreams  to  show  for  it!  Let  us  go  back  to 
our  kindergartens  and  read  again  the  story  of  Jack 
and  the  Beanstalk;  and  may  the  mouths  of  babes  and 
sucklings  teach  us  to  quit  ourselves  like  men. 

II.  The  other  world  is  the  world  of  the  unseen: 
that  is,  of  the  things  which  lie  beyond  the  narrow  cir- 
cumscription of  the  physical  senses  and  can  only  be 
comprehended  by  faith. 

"  Now  faith  is  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for, 
the  evidence  of  things  not  seen."  It  is  a  sixth  sense, 
by  which  we  are  distinguished  from  all  the  lower 
orders  of  life.  It  belongs  to  us  by  virtue  of  the  fact 
that  we  are  created  in  the  image  and  after  the  likeness 


THE  FAR-AWAY  LOOK  179 

of  God.  By  it  we  are  enabled  to  face  the  great  veri- 
ties and  solve  the  problems  of  the  spiritual  life. 

The  world  to  which  it  introduces  us  is  a  great  world. 
"  No  pent  up  Utica  contracts  our  powers."  Go  out 
on  a  starry  night  with  your  telescope  and  look  on 
the  spangled  heavens.  How  far  away  is  yonder  moon  ? 
Two  hundred  thousand  miles !  And  yonder  fixed  star? 
Some  billions  more!  See  how  the  ships  of  God's 
armada  come  wheeling  into  the  field  of  infinite  space ! 
Count  them  if  you  can.  But  you  are  still  in  the  little 
world  of  the  seen.  Look  through  the  interstellar  spaces 
to  the  great  beyond !  Leave  time  and  space  behind 
and  dream  of  the  infinite. 

There  lies  the  great  world  to  which  we  belong:  a 
world  beyond  our  scope  of  fleshly  vision.  If  faith 
fails  you  now,  give  up  all  hope  of  apprehending  it. 
This  is  the  world  of  invisible  laws  and  forces,  of 
truths,  and  principles,  of  life  beyond  the  swinging 
of  a  pendulum,  of  provinces  beyond  the  boundaries  of 
space,  of  souls  beyond  bodies  and  of  immortals  at 
home  with  God.  Thither  I  am  destined  by  virtue  of 
my  divine  birthright.  My  three-score  years  and  ten 
are  but  the  vestibule  of  life. 

"  It  must  be  so  !     Plato,  thou  reasonest  well ; 
Else  whence  this  pleasing  hope,  this  fond  desire. 
This  longing  after  immortality? 
'Tis  the  divinity  that  stirs  within  us ! 
'Tis  Heaven  itself  that  points  out  an  hereafter 
And  intimates  eternity  to  man ! 
The  stars  shall  fade  away,  the  sun  himself 
Grow  dim  with  age  and  nature  sink  in  years ; 
But  thou  shalt  flourish  in  eternal  youth, 
Unhurt  amid  the  war  of  elements ; 
The  wreck  of  matter  and  the  crush  of  worlds !  " 


180  THE  FAR-AWAY  LOOK 

III.  How  then  as  to  the  reckoning  between  these 
tzvo  worlds ?  Blessed  is  he  who  measures  aright  the 
relative  significance  of  the  seen  and  the  unseen.  Put 
this  world  into  the  balance  with  that  other,  and  behold 
a  grain  of  sand  against  a  universe.  O  world  of  the 
seen,  thou  art  weighed  and  found  wanting !  The  man 
who  reads  not  this  parable  is  dull  as  that  Belshazzar 
who  lost  his  Kingdom  because  he  could  not  interpret 
God's  writing  on  the  wall.  "  I  reckon,"  said  Paul  after 
striking  the  balance,  "  I  reckon  that  the  sufferings  of 
this  present  time  are  not  worthy  to  be  compared  with 
the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in  us ! " 

I  call  your  attention  to  four  important  facts  with 
reference  to  these  unseen  things. 

To  begin  with,  they  are  more  real  than  the  things 
that  are  visible  and  tangible.  God  is  more  real  than 
nature,  because  he  made  it.  The  soul,  likewise,  is 
more  real  than  the  body  that  it  lives  in.  The  Romans 
wrote  on  their  graves  Emigravit,  "  he  has  moved  on." 
So,  says  Paul,  "  We  know  that  if  our  earthly  house  of 
this  tabernacle  be  dissolved  we  have  an  house  not 
made  with  hands,  eternal  in  the  heavens."  What  sor- 
did creature  shall  tell  me  that  "  Death  ends  all  ? " 
Death  ends  nothing.    It  begins  all. 

Moreover,  the  things  which  are  unseen  and  eternal 
are  more  substantial  than  those  which  are  seen  and 
temporal.  Of  our  country  we  sing,  "  I  love  thy  rocks 
and  rills,  thy  woods  and  templed  hills  " ;  but  he  is  a 
poor  citizen  who  does  not  build  his  patriotism  on  the 
great  principles  that  lend  all  beauty  to  our  rocks  and 
rills.  The  flag  which  we  proudly  call  "  Old  Glory  "  is 
but  a  barren  ideality  except  as  it  projects  our  loyalty 
into  the  far  more  actual  though  invisible  province  of 


THE  FAR-AWAY  LOOK  181 

freedom  and  human  rights.  The  silver  dollar  that 
you  hold  in  your  hand  would  be  worth  no  more  than 
wampum  were  it  not  for  its  collateral  security.  The 
superscription,  "  U.  S.  A.,"  which  it  bears,  is  not  so 
substantial  as  the  invisible  bond  of  the  Commonwealth 
behind  it.  But  without  faith  we  could  never  get  be- 
yond the  dollar  and  the  flag.  Yet  there  are  stupid 
folk  who  think  of  faith  as  mere  credulity,  with  no  evi- 
dence to  support  it!  On  the  contrary,  faith  is  sub- 
sto;  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for.  And  faith  is 
e-videns,  H  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen." 

Still  further,  the  things  of  the  invisible  world  are 
more  immediate  than  those  which  we  can  see.  We 
say  we  are  "  floating  on  a  river  toward  a  boundless 
sea."  Nothing  of  the  sort.  There  is  no  river;  we  are 
already  on  the  sea.  Time  is  in  eternity.  It  is  an 
infinitesimal  arc  of  the  infinite  circle.  Heaven  is  not 
"  a  happy  land,  far,  far  away  " ;  we  are  in  heaven  or 
hell  here  and  now.  When  Confucius  said,  "  I  know 
nothing  about  the  future,  and  therefore  I  concern 
myself  only  for  the  world  I  am  now  living  in,"  he 
laid  the  foundations  of  a  materialistic  philosophy 
which  doomed  four  hundred  millions  of  Chinamen  to 
sordidness  for  a  thousand  years.  And  the  man  who 
argues  from  the  same  premise  will  never  rise  above  the 
Chinese  level  of  life. 

It  remains  to  add  that  the  unseen  things  are  more 
knowable  than  the  seen.  We  say  '*  seeing  is  believ- 
ing !  "  but  we  know  better.  Our  physical  senses  are 
all  the  while  deceiving  us.  The  lantern  which  you  see 
in  yonder  swamp  is  a  will-o'-the-wisp.  A  roll  of  thun- 
der proves  to  be  merely  a  blast  in  a  neighbouring 
quarry.     Any  thimble-rigger  can  fool  you.    But  when 


182  THE  FAR-AWAY  LOOK 

faith  has  once  implanted  a  conviction  of  God  and  the 
invisible  truths  which  centre  in  him  there  is  no  power 
in  the  universe  that  can  dislodge  it.  Here  is  the  rock 
on  which  the  Christian  rests.  No  if  or  peradventure 
troubles  him.  His  shibboleth  is  "  I  know !  " — "  I  know 
that  my  Redeemer  liveth !  " — "  I  know  whom  I  have 
believed,  and  am  persuaded  that  he  is  able  to  keep 
that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that 
day !  "  His  faith  is  a  personal  faith,  taking  hold  on  a 
personal  Christ,  and  finding  all  the  great  verities  in  him. 

To  this  end  Christ  came  into  the  world,  that  he 
might  give  his  people  the  far-away  look.  He  postu- 
lated all  his  teaching  on  the  reality  of  the  unseen  world 
and  our  vital  interest  in  it.  Take  away  God  and  im- 
mortality, and  the  Gospel  is  resolved  into  nil.  Take 
away  the  supreme  importance  of  other-worldliness  and 
the  Cross  is  no  more  than  two  transverse  beams  on 
which  a  man  dies  like  other  men.  "  I  go  to  prepare 
a  place  for  you,"  said  Christ ;  "  in  my  Father's  house 
are  many  mansions ;  if  it  were  not  so  I  would  have 
told  you."  Wherefore  we  are  enjoined  to  lay  up 
treasure  not  here  but  in  the  world  further  on.  And 
to  make  that  injunction  the  more  impressive,  he  pro- 
pounds a  problem  that  staggers  all  science  and  philos- 
ophy, "  What  shall  it  profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole 
world  and  lose  his  life?" 

How,  then,  are  we  living?  Are  we  among  those 
who,  "  forever  hastening  to  the  grave,  stoop  down- 
ward as  they  run  ?  "  Or  have  we  the  far-away  look  ? 
Are  we  sojourning  here  as  "  pilgrims  and  strangers, 
looking  for  a  better  country,  even  an  heavenly,  and 
for  a  city  that  hath  foundations,  whose  builder  and 
maker  is  God?  ° 


THE  FAK-AWAY  LOOK  183 

This  is  the  secret  of  a  happy  life.  In  these  troublous 
times  it  solves  the  problems  of  history  by  enabling  us 
to  read  between  the  lines.  Otherwise  our  hearts 
would  fail  us,  like  that  of  the  young  man  in  Dothan 
who,  seeing  the  city  invested  by  a  hostile  army,  ex- 
claimed, "  Master,  we  are  lost!  What  shall  we  do?  " 
And  the  prophet  prayed,  "  O  Lord,  open  his  eyes  that 
he  may  see  " ;  whereupon  the  novice  cried,  "  Master, 
the  mountains  are  full  of  the  Lord's  horses  and 
chariots !  " 

It  is  for  lack  of  the  far-away  look  that  we  fail  also 
to  interpret  providence  in  our  personal  lives.  It  was 
a  rule  among  the  epic  poets  that  no  incident  should 
be  brought  into  the  narrative  which  did  not  contribute 
to  the  denouement.  This  was  called  "  the  rule  of  the 
dramatic  unities."  A  like  rule  is  discernible  in  the 
divine  watch-care.  It  is  obvious,  however,  that  one 
who  reads  only  a  page  at  a  time  sees  life  as  a  tangled 
skein.  The  man  who  in  the  midst  of  his  vicissitudes 
perceives  that  time  is  only  the  preface  of  an  endless 
serial,  and  that  prosperity  and  adversity  are  warp  and 
woof  of  a  royal  garment  with  which  he  is  to  be  clothed 
forever,  speaks  no  more  of  threads  and  thrums  but, 
recognizing  the  dramatic  unities,  he  rejoices  that  "  all 
things  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God." 
What  then  shall  we  say? 

"  Rise,  my  soul,  and  stretch  thy  wings, 
Thy  better  portion  trace; 
Rise  from  transitory  things 
Toward  heaven,  thy  native  place : 
Sun  and  moon  and  stars  decay; 
Time  shall  soon  this  earth  remove; 
Rise,  my  soul,  and  haste  away 
To  seats  prepared  above ! " 


184  THE  FAR-AWAY. LOOK 

One  of  the  ancient  poets  tells  of  two  doubters  who 
agreed  that,  whichever  of  them  first  passed  on,  was  to 
return  and  enlighten  the  other.  One  night,  while 
mourning  for  the  recent  death  of  his  comrade,  the 
survivor  heard  above  the  soughing  wind  the  patter  of 
a  horse's  hoofs  and  then  a  low  voice  saying,  "  These 
things  are  true !  "  The  fable  touches  close  on  fact. 
"  Here  we  know  in  part  and  see  as  in  a  glass  darkly  " ; 
but  there  we  shall  understand  the  relative  importance 
of  material  and  spiritual  things. 

Meanwhile  let  us  covet  and  cultivate  the  larger 
scope  of  vision.  Sursum  corda!  Up  with  thy  heart! 
"  Eye  hath  not  seen  nor  ear  heard,  neither  have  en- 
tered into  the  heart  of  man  the  things  which  God 
hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him." 

We  live  forever! 


XX 

UNUTTERABLE  THINGS 

"  I  knew  a  man  in  Christ  above  fourteen  years  ago  (whether 
in  the  body  I  cannot  tell,  or  whether  out  of  the  body  I  can- 
not tell;  God  knoweth;)  such  an  one  caught  up  to  the  third 
heaven.  And  I  knew  such  a  man,  (whether  in  the  body  or 
out  of  the  body  I  cannot  tell;  God  knoweth;)  how  that  he 
was  caught  up  into  Paradise  and  heard  unspeakable  words, 
which  it  is  not  lawful  for  a  man  to  utter.  Of  such  an  one  will 
I  glory;  yet  of  myself  I  will  not  glory  but  in  mine  infirmi- 
ties.''— II  Cor.  12:2-5. 

BLESSED  is  the  man  who  has  a  vision.  "  The 
world  is  so  much  with  us."  It  is  well  that 
dwellers  in  the  Valley  of  Sordid  Care  should 
climb  the  mountains  now  and  then  and  look  off  into 
the  regions  beyond.  But,  alas!  the  paths  are  steep, 
and  the  journey  is  a  long  one,  and  Little  Faith  is  ever 
saying,  "  Let  us  be  practical :  the  other  world  is  a 
great  ways  off;  content  yourself  with  the  things  that 
are  here  and  now." 

It  was  fourteen  years  since  Paul  had  this  vision ;  and 
he  had  never  mentioned  it.  Now,  however,  necessity 
was  laid  upon  him.  His  enemies,  the  false  teachers  of 
Corinth  and  elsewhere,  jealous  of  his  growing  influ- 
ence, were  buzzing  about  him  like  bees.  They  had 
even  undertaken  to  impugn  his  credentials  as  an  apos- 
tle of  Christ. 

So  far  as  he  was  personally  concerned  he  might  have 
185 


186  UNUTTERABLE  THINGS 

passed  this  by;  but  the  fruits  of  his  ministry  were  in 
danger  and  the  honour  of  his  Master  was  at  stake.  He 
could  not  keep  silence.  He  must  vindicate  his  au- 
thority; even  at  the  risk  of  being  called  a  fool  and  a 
braggart.  He  therefore  presents  his  credentials  on 
this  wise :  "  Bear  with  me  in  my  folly.  Seeing  that 
mine  enemies  glory.  I  will  glory  also.  Are  they  He- 
brews? So  am  I.  Are  they  ministers  of  Christ?  I 
speak  as  a  fool,  I  am  more :  in  labours  more  abundant, 
in  stripes  above  measure,  in  prisons  more  frequent,  in 
deaths  oft.  Do  they  trumpet  their  zeal  ?  So  can  I ;  in 
journeyings  often,  in  perils  without  number,  in  weari- 
ness and  painfulness,  in  watchings  often,  in  hunger 
and  thirst,  in  fastings  often,  in  cold  and  nakedness. 
Do  they  challenge  my  apostleship  because,  as  they  say, 
I  never  saw  Jesus?  I  am  indeed  as  one  born  out  of 
due  time;  but  on  my  journey  to  Damascus  I  saw  him 
so  glorified  that  the  sight  blinded  mine  eyes.  Do  they 
question  my  commission?  He  sent  his  messenger  to 
declare  me  '  a  chosen  vessel  to  bear  his  name  before 
the  Gentiles/  Do  they  call  for  the  fruits  of  my  labour  ? 
Behold  the  seal  of  the  Spirit  in  souls  converted;  ye 
are  my  joy  and  crown.  Ah,  but  they  speak  of  dreams 
and  transports !  So  be  it.  Let  us  come  to  visions  and 
revelations  of  the  Lord."  And  then,  veiling  himself  in 
a  transparent  pseudonym,  he  tells  what  happened  to 
him  fourteen  years  ago. 

The  one  thing  to  be  observed  above  all  others  in 
this  narrative  is  its  scrupulous  reserve.  Paul  says  he 
"  was  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven."  Where  is 
that  third  heaven ;  and  how  was  he  caught  up  into  it  ? 
Was  it  through  some  mysterious  clairvoyance?  Was 
it  a  flight  of  the  sub-conscious  ego?    Did  he  take  his 


UNUTTERABLE  THINGS  187 

body  with  him ;  or  did  he  leave  it  as  when  a  man  goes 
out  of  his  house  and  closes  the  door  behind  him  ?  Paul 
was  a  metaphysical  expert,  as  much  so  probably  as 
any  scholar  of  his  time,  yet  his  only  answer  is, 
"  Whether  in  the  body  or  out  of  the  body,  I  cannot 
tell." 

And  what  did  he  see  in  that  third  heaven  ?  What 
wonders  burst  on  his  poor,  blinking  eyes?  Of  these 
he  has  nothing  to  say.  The  mere  fact  of  the  vision, 
which  had  been  held  in  reserve  so  scrupulously  for 
fourteen  years,  is  all  that  he  gives  us.  Why  this 
reticence  ?  It  was  doubtless  due  to  the  fact  that  he  had 
come  up  against  certain  limitations  which  are  gener- 
ally known  and  regarded  by  wise  men. 

I.  There  was  the  Limitation  of  Knowledge.  In 
this  vision  he  had  been  transported  to  a  region  which 
baffled  the  powers  of  a  finite  mind.  He  had  been  car- 
ried beyond  the  purview  of  the  physical  senses  into  a 
region  where  mortal  man  could  only  say,  "This  be- 
wilders me !  " 

The  three  heavens  to  which  he  refers  are  easy  to 
explain.  The  first  is  that  which  lies  about  us.  It  is 
the  heaven  of  the  atmosphere  and  the  floating  clouds. 
It  is  the  heaven  of  the  Weather  Bureau.  It  is  the  little 
heaven  of  the  atmosphere,  fifty  miles  deep  or  there- 
abouts, enveloping  our  world.  We  know  practically 
all  that  need  be  known  about  it. 

The  second  is  the  heaven  of  the  stars;  and  with  this 
we  are  less  familiar.  Science  has  many  things  to  say 
in  these  premises ;  some  of  which  are  the  satisfactory 
results  of  exact  calculation,  others  of  which  are  mere 
guesswork.  It  is  a  vast  heaven,  where  worlds  innu- 
merable float  like  the  ships  of  a  great  armada  on  a 


188  UNUTTERABLE  THINGS 

boundless  sea.  As  you  gaze  into  the  far  distance,  still 
they  come,  new  fleets  of  worlds,  clouds  of  star-dust, 
boundless,  incomputable,  apparently  infinite !  A  scien- 
tist still  in  his  'teens  will  undertake  to  tell  you  all 
about  them ;  but  ask  an  old  astronomer  what  he  knows 
with  respect  to  this  second  heaven  and  he  will  say,  "  I 
am  still  repeating  what  I  learned  at  my  mother's  knee, 

"  '  Twinkle,  twinkle,  little  star ; 
How  I  wonder  what  you  are/  " 

The  third  heaven  is  beyond.  Paul  calls  it  "  Para- 
dise." This  is  the  heaven  where  God's  throne  is;  the 
home  of  angels  and  archangels  and  saints  triumphant. 
It  is  the  heaven  where  God  means  us  to  dwell  forever : 
yet  how  little  we  know  about  it.  We  are  living  on  an 
island  in  the  midst  of  an  immeasurable  ocean.  Now 
and  then  a  man  wades  out  in  the  surf,  but  only  a  little 
ways.  A  tall  man,  like  John  the  Evangelist,  can  wade 
further;  but  soon  he,  too,  finds  himself  beyond  his 
depth.  We  catch  a  glimpse  of  a  City  afar  off  with 
golden  domes  and  pinnacles ;  and  again  of  a  country 
of  "  sweet  fields  beyond  the  swelling  flood,  all  dressed 
in  living  green."    But  these  are  only  glimpses  after  all. 

"  We  may  not  know  how  sweet  its  balmy  air, 
How  bright  and  fair  its  flowers: 
We  may  not  hear  the  songs  that  echo  there 
Through  those  enchanted  bowers. 
But  sometimes,  when  adown  the  western  sky 
The  fiery  sunset  lingers, 
The  golden  gates  swing  inward  noiselessly, 
Unlocked  by  unseen  fingers : 
And  while  they  stand  a  moment  half  ajar 
Gleams,  from  the  inner  glory, 
Stream  brightly  through  the  azure  vault  afar 
And  half  reveal  the  story." 


UNUTTERABLE  THINGS  189 

It  was  into  this  third  heaven  that  Paul  was  caught 
up ;  but  he  does  not  venture  to  describe  it ;  possibly  be- 
cause he  realized  that  he  knew  so  little  about  it.  Per- 
haps he  found  the  things  of  Paradise  unutterable 
because  they  were  really  unintelligible  to  him.  Why 
not  ?  Can  a  gourd  hold  the  ocean  ?  No  more  can  the 
mind  of  a  mortal  man  contain  the  things  of  Paradise. 
Let  it  suffice  that  the  place  is  there  awaiting  us.  The 
man  who  has  had  a  vision  never  doubts  it. 

II.  Another  difficulty  which  confronted  Paul  was 
the  Limitation  of  Utterance.  He  says  that  he  heard 
"  unspeakable  words  "  and  saw  things  "  which  it  is  not 
lawful  for  a  man  to  utter."  What  does  he  mean? 
What  "  law  "  was  it  that  hindered  his  speaking  out? 

Was  it  an  interdict  which  God  had  laid  upon  him? 
Had  he  been  enjoined,  as  they  say  Peter  Martyr  was, 
who  is  always  represented  with  his  finger  on  his 
lips  ?  Had  the  Lord  said  to  him,  "  See  thou  tell  no 
man"? 

Or  was  it  the  boundaries  of  speech  that  gave  him 
pause?  There  are  indeed  many  things  in  our  experi- 
ence for  which  there  are  no  words  in  our  vocabulary. 
You  will  search  the  dictionary  in  vain  for  the  where- 
withal to  express  a  mother's  love.  So  there  are  "  songs 
without  words."  Did  you  never  stand  on  a  mountain- 
top  and  look  on  a  far-reaching  landscape  which  baffled 
the  largest  possibilities  of  speech?  Who  has  ever  ade- 
quately described  a  storm  at  sea;  or  the  beauty  of  a 
sunset ;  or  the  solemnity  of  a  death-bed  ? 

"  I  wonder  if  ever  a  song  was  sung  but  the  singer's  heart  sang 
sweeter  ; 
I  wonder  if  ever  a  hymn  was  rung  but  the  theme  surpassed 
the  meter; 


190  UNUTTERABLE  THINGS 

I  wonder  if  ever  a  sculptor  wrought 
Till  the  cold  stone  echoed  his  ardent  thought; 
Or  if  ever  a  painter  with  light  and  shade 
The  dream  of  his  inmost  soul  portrayed?" 

Or  perhaps  the  restraint  of  expediency  was  laid  upon 
him.  It  is  not  always  wise  to  tell  all  that  one  knows. 
There  are  frequent  occasions  when  speech  is  silver,  but 
silence  golden.  This  is  the  lesson  of  that  homely  fable 
of  y£sop  where  he  tells  of  a  lion  calling  to  a  sheep  and 
asking,  "Is  my  breath  sweet?"  When  the  sheep  an- 
swered "  No,"  he  bit  off  his  head  for  slander.  He  then 
called  a  wolf  and  asked,  "  Is  my  breath  sweet?  "  And 
when  the  wolf  answered  "  Yes,"  he  bit  off  his  head  for 
flattery.  He  then  called  a  fox  and  asked,  "  Is  my 
breath  sweet  ?  "  And  the  fox,  coughing  and  sneezing, 
said,  "  I  have  such  a  cold  that  I  really  cannot  say  " ; 
whereupon  the  lion  said,  "  Come  with  me ;  thou  art  the 
wise  one."  We  all  talk  too  much;  or,  if  not  that,  we 
all  say  too  much  that  had  better  be  left  unsaid,  and 
withhold  too  much  of  what  might  profitably  be  said  to 
those  about  us. 

In  the  interview  of  Moses  and  Elias  with  Jesus  on 
the  Mount  of  Transfiguration  it  is  noteworthy  that  they 
had  nothing  to  say  about  the  heaven  they  were  living 
in.  Their  entire  conversation  had  to  do  with  a  certain 
event  which  was  about  to  transpire,  not  in  Paradise, 
but  in  this  world  of  ours.  The  three  disciples  who 
were  present  at  that  interview  were  profoundly  inter- 
ested in  Paradise  and  would  have  given  much  to  hear 
what  Moses  and  Elias  had  to  say  about  it.  One  of 
them  had  been  there  fifteen  hundred  years  and  the 
other  a  thousand  years.  What  a  scroll  of  wonders  they 
might  have  unfolded!     But  not  a  word.     They  spake 


UNUTTERABLE  THINGS  191 

only  of  the  approaching  tragedy  of  the  Cross ;  only  of 
that  which  was  of  practical  value  to  mortal  men.  Had 
it  been  important  for  James  and  Peter  and  John  to 
know  the  details  and  particulars  of  Paradise,  it  is  not 
to  be  doubted  that  something  would  have  been  said  to 
enlighten  them;  but,  as  matters  stand,  we  are  left  to 
believe  that  they  were  better  without  it. 

III.  There  was  still  another  difficulty,  which  was 
perhaps  most  insuperable,  namely,  the  Limitation  of 
Confidence. 

Not  a  few  of  our  interviews  with  God  are  under 
the  ban  of  silence.  The  hour  of  conversion  is  of  such 
a  character;  a  man  of  sensibility  will  think  twice 
before  he  calls  in  the  passer-by.  So  with  all  our  deep- 
est experiences  of  joy  and  sorrow :  "  The  heart  know- 
eth  its  own  bitterness ;  and  a  stranger  doth  not  inter- 
meddle with  its  joy."  Have  you  never  gone  to  the 
trysting  place,  with  burdens  that  seemed  beyond  all 
bearing,  and  shut  the  door,  and  bared  your  soul  before 
God  with  strong  crying,  until  you  felt  his  near  ap- 
proach and  his  right  hand  laid  upon  you,  and  heard 
his  voice  saying  comfortable  things ;  so  that  you  came 
out  at  length  with  tears  on  your  eyelashes  and  your 
finger  on  your  lips? 

Who  shall  estimate  the  value  of  such  visions  in  their 
application  to  the  needs  of  common  life?  Here  is  the 
effective  remedy  for  doubt.  It  is  safe  to  say  that 
Paul's  creed  was  emphasized  by  that  excursion  into 
the  third  heaven.  He  had  believed  before :  had  be- 
lieved as  we  do,  in  God  and  the  Incarnation,  the 
Atonement,  the  sanctifying  influence  of  the  Spirit  and 
all  the  rudimentals  of  our  faith ;  but  on  coming  back 
from  Paradise  he  must  have  said  within  himself,  "  Oh, 


192  UNUTTERABLE  THINGS 

these  things  are  infinitely  truer  than  I  thought !  I  do 
believe.  I  cannot  but  believe.  This  is  the  Gospel  of 
reality." 

And  no  doubt  his  character  was  influenced  in  the 
same  way.  He  could  not  have  looked  into  the  infinite 
and  eternal  without  forming  a  just  conception  of  the 
relative  value  of  things.  When  he  saw  men  in  Corinth 
busy  with  muckrakes,  gathering  a  little  yellow  dust; 
and  pleasure-seekers  busy  in  the  eager  chase  of  thistle- 
down and  butterflies ;  and  men  a-tiptoe  reaching  vainly 
after  tinsel  crowns,  he  must  have  thought,  "  Alas !  that 
they  should  set  their  hearts  on  things  that  perish  with 
the  using!  Why  do  they  ignore  those  graces  which 
enter  into  the  enduring  fabric  of  character?"  And 
pursuant  to  this  thought  he  wrote  a  letter  in  which  he 
said,  "  Whatsoever  things  are  true,  whatsoever  things 
are  honest,  whatsoever  things  are  just,  whatsoever 
things  are  pure,  whatsoever  things  are  lovely,  whatso- 
ever things  are  of  good  report;  if  there  be  any  virtue 
and  if  there  be  any  praise,  think  on  these  things ! " 

The  vision  must  also  have  produced  a  deeper  and 
sweeter  tone  in  all  his  preaching;  for  now  he  could 
say,  "  That  which  we  have  heard,  that  which  we  have 
seen  with  our  eyes,  that  which  we  have  handled,  de- 
clare we  unto  you !  " 

I  think  it  was  Summerfield  who,  when  he  lay  dying, 
closed  his  eyes  awhile  and,  on  opening  them,  said  to 
a  friend  at  his  bedside,  "  Oh,  now  if  I  could  go  into 
my  pulpit,  how  I  could  preach !  For  I  have  looked 
into  eternity !  I  have  seen  the  King  in  his  beauty !  I 
have  been  caught  up  like  Paul  into  the  third  heaven! 
Oh,  how  I  could  preach ! " 

So  I  say  blessed  is  the  man  who  has  a  vision !    Yet 


UNUTTERABLE  THINGS  193 

the  vision  is  nothing  of  itself  but  only  a  means  to  an 
end.  It  has  no  value  except  as  it  illuminates  the  soul 
and  is  translated  into  the  terms  of  common  life.  This 
was  in  the  mind  of  Paul  when  he  concluded  his 
reference  to  the  vision  by  saying,  "  Yet  if  I  must 
needs  glory,  I  will  glory  in  mine  infirmities;  for  in 
my  weakness  the  power  of  God  resteth  upon  me." 

Then  he  proceeds  to  give  us  the  practical  application 
of  the  vision :  "  Lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  meas- 
ure, through  the  abundance  of  the  revelations,  there 
was  given  unto  me  a  thorn  in  the  flesh.  For  this  thing 
I  besought  the  Lord  thrice  that  it  might  depart  from 
me ;  and  he  said,  '  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee.  For 
my  strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness.'  Most 
gladly,  therefore,  will  I  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities, 
that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me." 

It  matters  not  whether  it  be  a  thorn  or  a  vision,  if 
only  it  be  thankfully  received  as  the  gift  of  a  loving 
God.  His  purpose  is  to  prepare  us  for  that  third 
heaven  and  for  the  tasks  there  awaiting  us.  Thorns  or 
visions,  they  are  "  all  in  the  day's  work  " ;  and  all  alike 
are  subsidized  for  the  good  of  them  that  love  God. 
Power  for  service  is  what  we  need.  If  there  is  more 
power  in  the  thorn  than  in  the  vision,  God  help  us  to 
welcome  it !  There  is  no  higher  attainment  than  serv- 
ice; no  more  desirable  gift  than  power;  no  better 
prayer  than  this :  "  Prepare  me,  Lord,  for  that  which 
thou  hast  prepared  for  me/' 


XXI 

UNANSWERED  PRAYERS 

"And  lest  I  should  be  exalted  above  measure  through  the 
abundance  of  the  revelations,  there  was  given  to  me  a  thorn 
in  the  flesh,  the  messenger  of  Satan  to  buffet  me,  lest  I  should 
be  exalted  above  measure. 

For  this  thing  I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  de- 
part from  me. 

And  he  said  unto  me,  My  grace  is  sufficient  for  thee :  for  my 
strength  is  made  perfect  in  weakness.  Most  gladly  therefore 
will  I  rather  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power  of  Christ 
may  rest  upon  me." — II  Cor.  12 :  7-9. 

PAUL  was  a  praying  man. 
He  began  his  Christian  experience  on  his 
knees ;  as  it  is  written,  "  The  Lord  said  to 
Ananias,  '  Go  to  the  house  of  Judas  in  the  street 
which  is  called  Straight  and  inquire  for  one  Saul  of 
Tarsus,  for  behold,  he  prayeth.'  "  Beginning  thus  he 
kept  on  praying  all  his  life. 

And  his  prayers  were  answered  so  graciously,  so 
abundantly,  so  wonderfully,  that  his  life  was  one  con- 
tinuous sacrifice  of  praise.  "  Thanks  be  to  God,"  he 
cries,  "  who  always  maketh  us  to  triumph  in  Christ "  ; 
and  again,  "  We  are  enriched  in  everything,  to  all 
bountifulness,  which  causeth  through  us  thanksgiving 
to  God." 

Nevertheless  one  boon  was  denied  him.  He  longed 
to  be  delivered  from  an  affliction  which  he  calls  his 

194 


UNANSWERED  PRAYERS  195 

"  thorn  in  the  flesh,"  a  painful  malady  that  sorely- 
crippled  and  oftentimes  disabled  him.  "  For  this  thing 
I  besought  the  Lord  thrice,  that  it  might  depart  from 
me."  But  it  did  not  depart  from  him.  He  lived  and 
died  with  it. 

Why  was  his  prayer  not  granted?  The  question  is 
one  that  comes  home  to  all.  For  where  is  the  Chris- 
tian who  has  not  a  secret  chamber  in  the  back  of  his 
memory  where  old  prayers,  offered  once  and  again 
with  futile  tears,  are  laid  away  as  sad  memorials  of 
hope  deferred?    Why  were  they  not  answered? 

Surely  it  has  not  been  because  the  Lord  is  unable 
to  grant  our  requests ;  since  "  nothing  is  too  hard 
for  him." 

Nor  has  it  been  because  he  is  unwilling  to  bless 
us ;  for  "  if  earthly  parents  know  how  to  give  good 
things  to  their  children,  how  much  more  shall  your 
Father  which  is  in  heaven  give  good  things  to  them 
that  ask  him  ?  " 

Is  it,  then,  because  our  prayers  have  been  at  fault? 
"  Ye  ask  and  receive  not,"  says  James,  "  because  ye 
ask  amiss."  Did  Paul  ask  amiss?  An  inquiry  as 
to  the  manner  of  his  prayer  may  help  to  solve  the 
problem  of  our  disappointments. 

Was  his  request  denied  because  he  had  not  been 
really  praying  but  only  "saying  his  prayers" ;  which  is 
a  very  different  thing?  God  does  not  bow  the  heavens 
to  come  down  in  answer  to  a  rigmarole  of  "O  Lords  " 
and  "  We  beseech  thees  ".;  any  more  than  he  heeds  the 
mechanical  tally  of  a  rosary.  We  are  not  heard  for 
our  lip  service,  for  much  speaking,  for  vain  repeti- 
tions or  for  long  prayers  at  the  corners  of  the  streets. 
But  Paul's  prayers  were  not  after  that  fashion.    It  is 


196  UNANSWERED  PRAYERS 

he  who  gives  us  that  felicitous  definition  of  prayer, 
"  the  heart's  desire."  For  in  prayer  "  the  lips  ne'er 
act  the  winning  part  without  the  sweet  concurrence 
of  the  heart." 

Was  it,  then,  because  he  had  not  learned  to  say 
"Abba,  Father"?  Everything  depends  on  that;  as 
Jesus  said,  "  When  ye  pray,  say,  '  Our  Father.'  ':  A 
wayward  son  who  never  comes  home  except  to  make 
a  demand  upon  his  father's  purse  has  a  poor  con- 
ception of  filial  love.  "  He  that  cometh  to  God  must 
believe  that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  the  rewarder  of  them 
that  diligently  seek  him." 

But  this  was  not  the  trouble  in  Paul's  case;  for  it 
is  he  who  emphasizes  "  the  spirit  of  adoption  whereby 
we  cry, '  Abba,  Father.'  "  He  came  lovingly  and  obedi- 
ently to"*the- mercy  seat,  with  full  confidence  in  the 
promise,  "  Ask  and  it  shall  be  given  you,  seek  and  ye 
shall  find,  knock  and  it  shall  be  opened  unto  you." 

Or  perhaps  he  could  not  say,  "In  Jesus'  Name." 
This  is  the  countersign  at  the  door  of  the  audience 
chamber.  No  man  has  the  shadow  of  a  hope  in  his 
own  name.  All  the  guards  of  justice  stand  round 
about  the  King's  door  to  prevent  a  self-righteous 
suppliant  from  entering  in.  The  only  way  is  "  the 
new  and  living  way  "  which  was  opened  to  us  when 
the  veil  was  rent  on  Calvary  into  the  Holiest  of  All. 
Our  only  plea  at  the  mercy  seat  is  the  blood  which 
is  sprinkled  upon  it. 

And  Paul  realized  that  fact ;  for  he  says,  "  Being 
justified  by  faith  we  have  peace  with  God  through  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  whom  we  have  received  access 
by  faith  into  this  grace  wherein  we  stand  and  rejoice 
in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God." 


UNANSWERED  PRAYERS  197 

Well,  possibly,  it  was  because  Paul  was  cherishing 
some  duitohy  sin.  In  that  event  he  could  not  hope  for 
an  audience,  since,  as  David  says,  "If  I  regard 
iniquity  in  my  heart  the  Lord  will  not  hear  me."  Not 
that  we  are  to  be  perfect  before  we  can  pray;  but 
a  cherished  sin,  persisted  in  wilfully  and  deliberately, 
stands  as  an  impassable  barrier  between  the  soul  and 
God. 

That,  however,  was  not  the  case  with  Paul;  for  if 
ever  a  man  lived  who  hated  sin  it  was  he.  Listen  to 
this ;  "  What  shall  we  say  then  ?  Shall  we  continue  in 
sin  that  grace  may  abound?  God  forbid!  How  shall 
we  that  are  dead  to  sin  continue  any  longer  therein? 
Let  not  sin,  therefore,  have  dominion  over  you;  for 
the  wages  of  sin  is  death."  The  mere  suggestion  of 
continuing  in  sin  horrified  him. 

Or  was  his  petition  denied  because  he  was  entertain- 
ing some  grudge  against  a  fcllowman?  This  is  an- 
other of  the  fatal  hindrances  to  successful  prayer.  The 
Lord  said,  "  When  ye  stand  praying,  forgive  if  ye 
have  aught  against  any;  for  if  ye  forgive  not  men 
their  trespasses  neither  will  your  Father  in  heaven 
forgive  you." 

It  is  certain  that  Paul  had  a  hot  temper.  He  quar- 
relled with  Peter  and  again  with  Barnabas;  but  he 
was  as  quick  to  forgive  as  he  was  to  resent  a  wrong. 
The  sun  never  went  down  upon  his  wrath.  It  is  he 
who  writes,  "  Put  on,  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God, 
an  heart  of  mercies,  kindness,  humbleness  of  mind, 
meekness,  long-suffering;  forbearing  one  another  and 
forgiving  one  another,  if  any  man  have  a  quarrel 
against  any ;  even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye." 

Well,  then,  was  it  because  of  a  lack  of  faith?    Jesus 


198  UNANSWERED  PRAYERS 

said,  "  If  ye  shall  ask  anything  in  my  name,  believing 
that  ye  receive  it,  ye  shall  have  it."  The  promises  of 
God  are  yea  and  amen.  "  Ask  and  ye  shall  receive.', 
Here  is  no  if  or  peradventure.  But  hopelessness 
claims  no  promise,  looks  for  nothing  and  goes  hun- 
gry from  the  feast. 

Paul,  however,  was  proverbially  the  apostle  of  faith. 
It  is  he  who  reminds  us  that  we  walk  by  faith,  are 
justified  by  faith  and  live  by  faith.  It  is  enough  to 
say  that  he  wrote  the  Eleventh  of  Hebrews,  the  roll- 
call  of  the  heroes  of  faith. 

Or  was  Paul's  request  denied  because  of  unfaithful- 
ness? Had  he  forgotten  his  duty?  Was  he  standing 
in  the  marketplace  with  folded  hands?  Jesus  said, 
"  If  ye  abide  in  me  and  my  words  abide  in  you,  ye  shall 
ask  what  ye  will  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you." 

No,  Paul  was  no  idler.  His  life  began  with  the 
question,  "  What  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  "  And 
his  years  were  passed  in  a  self-denying  spirit  of  con- 
secration which  gave  him  no  rest ;  as  he  said,  "  The 
love  of  Christ  constraineth  me !  " 
.  May  it  have  been  because  he  was  not  sufficiently  im- 
portunate? God  loves  our  importunity.  Jesus  said, 
"  Men  ought  always  to  pray  and  not  to  faint."  It 
is  wrestling  Jacob  who  prevails  in  prayer.  It  is  the 
Syrophenician  woman,  refusing  to  take  no  for  an 
answer,  that  carries  away  the  blessing  with  her. 

But  this,  again,  was  not  the  trouble  with  Paul.  He 
did  not  "  faint."  That  was  not  why  he  quit  praying. 
He  says  he  "  besought  the  Lord  thrice."  Was  that 
all?  There  are  many  who  have  besought  the  Lord 
thirty  times  thrice  and  have  still  kept  on  praying 
apparently  to  no  avail.    The  reason  why  Paul  ceased 


UNANSWERED  PRAYERS  199 

praying  was  because  the  Lord  said  no;  and  what  was 
the  use  of  going  on  ? 

I  have  tried  to  eliminate  every  possible  reason  why 
the  boon  that  Paul  so  earnestly  craved  was  denied 
him.  One  solution  of  the  problem  remains  and  only 
one:  namely,  perhaps  his  prayer  was  anszvered. 

And  indeed  it  was.  In  the  story  of  this  strange 
experience  you  will  not  find  a  word  of  complaint  or 
an  intimation  that  his  prayer  was  unheard  or  that  his 
request  was  not  granted  in  the  best  possible  way. 

To  be  sure,  it  was  not  in  his  way.  Where  will 
you  find  any  promise  that  the  Lord  will  answer  in 
our  way?  Why  should  he?  Paul  himself  says,  "  We 
know  not  what  to  pray  for  as  we  ought."  Shake- 
speare says,  "  We,  ignorant  of  ourselves,  beg  often 
our  own  harms,  which  the  wise  powers  deny  us  for 
our  good."  A  child  may  cry  for  a  white  powder 
that  looks  like  sugar;  but  the  mother,  who  knows 
it  to  be  arsenic,  would  be  neither  wise  nor  kind  to 
give  it. 

But,  if  our  prayers  are  not  always  granted  in  our 
way,  we  may  be  confident  that  they  are  granted  in 
the  best  way.  We  always  get  what  we  ask  or  some- 
thing better.  We  pray  for  wealth ;  shall  we  complain 
if  we  are  made  "  rich  toward  God  "  ?  We  plead  for 
health;  but  if  such  prayers  were  always  answered, 
heaven  would  be  indefinitely  deferred,  since  none  would 
die.  In  the  superior  wisdom  of  God  it  may  appear 
that  temporal  gifts  are  not  for  our  good ;  but  spiritual 
gifts  are  never  denied  us. 

If  one  seeming  boon  is  refused  it  is  only  that  a 
better  may  be  given  us.  We  ask  for  a  stone  and  get 
bread,  but  never  vice  versa.     God's  promise  is  Yea 


200  UNANSWERED  PRAYERS 

and  amen;  and  it  is  always  full-filled,  heaped  up  and 
running  over.    Would  you  have  it  any  other  way? 

Are  we  always  sure  that  we  really  want  what  we 
ask  for?  In  the  biography  of  St.  Francis  Borgia  it 
is  related  that  his  wife  being  mortally  ill, — whom-he 
loved  as  the  apple  of  his  eye — he  wrestled  all  night 
long  in  prayer  that  God  would  heal  her.  At  daybreak 
he  heard  a  Voice  saying,  "  My  servant,  thou  shalt 
have  thy  desire  if  thou  sayest  so;  but  this  would  be 
calamitous  for  thee  and  her.  Shall  I  still  grant  it  ?  " 
What  could  he  say?  What  would  you  have  said? 
There  was  nothing  to  say  but,  "  Lord,  have  thy  way 
with  me:" 

So  it  was  with  Paul.  He  realized  that  his  prayer 
was  answered  and  in  the  best  way.  The  thorn  re- 
mained but  grace  was  given  him  to  bear  it.  And  in 
this  he  was  not  only  content  but  joyously  acquiescent. 
Hear  him :  "  I  take  pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  re- 
proaches, in  necessities,  in  distresses  for  Christ's  sake ; 
for  when  I  am  weak,  then  am  I  strong.  Most  gladly, 
therefore,  will  I  glory  in  my  infirmities,  that  the  power 
of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me ! " 

The  secret  of  prayer  is  to  be  learned  at  the  gate  of 
Gethsemane;  where  we  observe  a  singular  parallel 
to  the  case  of  Paul.  Let  us  stand  in  the  shadow  of 
the  olive  trees  and  listen  to  Jesus  as  the  purple  cup 
of  death  was  pressed  to  his  lips.  "  He  fell  on  his 
face  and  prayed,  '  My  Father,  if  it  be  possible,  let 
this  cup  pass  from  me ! '  And  again  he  prayed  the 
second  time,  '  If  it  be  possible,  let  this  cup  pass  from 
me.'  And  again  he  prayed  saying  the  same  words, 
'  If  it  be  possible  let  this  cup  pass  from  me ! ' :  But 
in  this  case  he  added,  "If  it  be  not  possible,  thy  will 


UNANSWERED  PRAYERS  201 

be  done  !  "  Was  that  prayer  denied  ?  Oh,  no  !  The 
great  answer  was  given  him :  for  in  the  drinking  of 
that  cup  he  was  destined  to  see  the  travail  of  his  soul 
and  be  satisfied.  The  gates  of  heaven  are  thronged 
with  sinners  saved  by  his  grace  and  praising  him 
because  he  drank  it. 

Now  listen  to  the  beloved  John ;  "  This  is  the  con- 
fidence that  we  have  in  him;  that  if  we  ask  anything 
according  to  his  will  he  heareth  us :  and  if  we  know 
that  he  hear  us,  whatsoever  we  ask,  we  know  that 
we  have  the  petitions  that  we  desired  of  him."  So 
then  we  are  to  ask  with  a  due  reference  to  the  divine 
will;  and  to  keep  ourselves  in  harmony  with  God's 
beneficent  purpose  concerning  us,  in  which  "  all  things 
work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  him."  For 
nothing  is  truer  than  this : 

"  111  that  God  blesses  is  our  good, 
And  unblessed  good  is  ill; 
And  all  is  right  that  seems  most  wrong, 
If  it  be  his  dear  will." 

Shall  we  say  that  it  ^avetrrs  of  fatalism,  thus  to 
defer  to  the  sovereign  wisdom?  Or  that  it  puts  an' 
estoppel  on  prayer  to  assume  that  God  has  a  definite 
plan  for  us? 

Do  children  stop  asking  for  things  because  their 
parents  sometimes  refuse,  knowing  what  is  best  for 
them  ?  Nay-,  the  little-people  are  not  so  foolish.  They 
keep  on  asking  and  they  keep  on  receiving,  too. 

Thus  prayer  "  moves  the  hand  that  moves  the 
world,"  and  always  moves  it  for  our  good.  The  an- 
swer never  fails  when  we  pray  aright ;  and  we  cannot 
fail  to  pray  aright  when  we  keep  right  with  God. 


XXII 

PAUL  ON  HIS  KNEES 

"For  this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in  heaven  and 
earth  is  named,  that  he  would  grant  you,  according  to  the 
riches  of  his  glory,  to  be  strengthened  with  might  by  his  Spirit 
in  the  inner  man :  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by 
faith ;  that  ye,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may  be  able 
to  comprehend  with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth,  and  height,  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ  which 
passeth  knowledge ;  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness 
of  God." — Eph.  3 :  14-19. 

IF  ever  a  man  had  "  the  gift  of  the  knees  "  it  was 
Paul.  He  began  his  Christian  life  with  a  prayer, 
"  Lord,  what  wilt  thou  have  me  to  do  ?  "  That 
was  thirty  years  before  our  text;  and  he  had  been 
praying  ever  since. 

He  was  now  a  prisoner  in  the  Pretorian  Camp  at 
Rome.  No  more  missionary  journeys  for  him;  no 
more  sermons  on  Mars  Hill  or  in  Solomon's  Porch 
or  at  the  corners  of  the  streets.  Old  and  weary  with 
oft  infirmities  he  was  apparently  disabled  for  service. 
Disabled  ?  Not  he !  "  Love  laughs  at  locksmiths." 
This  man  had  in  his  bosom  a  galvanic  battery  which 
was  constantly  sending  up  wireless  messages  to 
Heaven  for  his  friends  near  and  far. 

A  man  of  prayer  is  a  man  of  power ;  and  his  power 
radiates  in  invisible  streams  of  power  for  other  men. 
In  our  text  we  have  one  of  Paul's  wonderful  pray- 
202 


PAUL  ON  HIS  KNEES  203 

ers :  in  which  he  intercedes  for  his  Christian  friends 
in  Ephesus.  And  the  burden  of  his  prayer  is  for 
power.  To  the  young  minister  of  the  Ephesian  Church 
he  had  written  once  and  again,  "  Be  strong  " ;  and  to 
the  members  of  the  flock,  "  Be  strong  in  the  Lord  and 
in  the  power  of  his  might." 

He  was  not  thinking  of  physical  or  intellectual 
strength,  but  of  the  spiritual  strength  which  enables  a 
man  u  to  withstand  in  the  evil  day  and  having  done  all 
to  stand."  This  is  what  he  means  by  being  strength- 
ened "  in  the  inner  man." 

Paul  never  thinks  of  himself  as  one  man  but  always 
as  two.  Thus  he  says,  "  Though  our  outward  man 
perish  yet  the  inward  man  is  renewed  day  by  day." 
While  the  outward  man  is  fainting  with  the  cry, 
"  What  shall  I  eat  and  what  shall  I  drink  and  where- 
with shall  I  be  clothed  ?  "  the  inward  man  is  growing 
stronger  in  the  graces  that  make  for  character  and 
influence  and  everlasting  life. 

So  it  was  with  the  prisoner  in  the  Pretorian  Camp. 
Physically  he  was  old  and  infirm,  but  spiritually  his 
eyes  were  bright  and  his  natural  force  unabated.  Let 
him  speak  for  himself ;  "  I  will  glory  in  my  infirmities, 
that  the  power  of  Christ  may  rest  upon  me ;  for  when 
I  am  weak  then  I  am  strong !  "  And  the  strength  of 
which  Paul  was  conscious  is  what  he  desires  for  his 
Ephesian  friends ;  that  they,  like  their  old  pastor,  may 
be  strengthened  with  might  by  the  Spirit  who  alone 
can  baptize  with  fire  and  power  in  the  inner  man. 

But  why  this  earnest  plea?  What  advantage  would 
come  to  the  church  members  of  Ephesus  through  such 
a  baptism  of  power? 

Only  so,  says  Paul,  could  they  attain  unto  the  full 


204  PAUL  ON  HIS  KNEES 

measure  of  the  Christian  life.  Without  it  they  might 
be  minimum  Christians,  living  at  a  poor  dying  rate, 
like  doves  with  their  wings  clipped;  but  with  it  they 
could  mount  into  the  higher  air. 

And  just  here  the  great  apostle  opens  up  the  Three 
Great  Mysteries  of  the  Gospel — into  which  none  can 
be  initiated  save  those  who  throw  their  hearts  open  to 
the  gift  of  power  which  God,  "  according  to  the  riches 
of  his  glory,"  would  bestow  upon  all  who  love  him. 

The  first  of  these  mysteries  is  the  indwelling  of 
Christ:  namely,  "  that  Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts 
by  faith." 

There  are  some  church  members  who  apparently 
have  only  a  speaking  acquaintance  with  Christ.  In 
the  morning  they  kneel  down  and  have  a  brief  conver- 
sation with  him,  then  part  company  for  the  day;  and 
in  the  evening  when  he  comes  again  as  a  formal  caller, 
they  kneel  at  their  bedsides  and  have  another  short 
conversation  with  him.  But  there  are  other  Christians 
who  entertain  him  as  an  "  indwelling "  guest ;  and 
these  know  the  true  happiness  of  the  spiritual  life. 

Our  Lord  speaks  of  this  indwelling  in  the  parable 
of  the  Vine  and  the  Branches ;  "  He  that  abideth  in 
me  and  I  in  him  the  same  beareth  much  fruit."  And 
again  in  his  conversation  with  Jude,  "  If  a  man  love 
me  he  will  keep  my  words ;  and  my  Father  will  love 
him,  and  we  will  come  in  and  make  our  abode  with 
him."  And  again  in  his  sacerdotal  prayer,  "  I  in  thee 
and  thou  in  me,  that  they  may  be  made  perfect  in  one ; 
that  the  love  wherewith  thou  hast  loved  me  may  be 
in  them  and  I  in  them." 

The  key  to  this  happy  hospitality  is  faith ;  "  that 
Christ  may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith."     What  is 


PAUL  ON  HIS  KNEES  205 

faith  ?  It  is  the  reaching  out  of  the  soul  to  appropri- 
ate the  proffered  gift.  "  Behold,  I  stand  at  the  door 
and  knock;"  says  Christ,  "  if  any  man  will  open  unto 
me  I  will  come  in  and  sup  with  him  and  he  with  me." 
Faith  is  the  hand  that  draws  the  bolt  to  let  him  in. 
"  According  to  your  faith  be  it  unto  you." 

It  will  not  answer  to  leave  him  on  the  threshold. 
"  Come  in,  thou  blessed  of  the  Lord !  "  Come  in  and 
spread  for  us  the  feast  of  fat  things  and  wine  upon  the 
lees;  bread  of  life,  apples  and  pomegranates  from  the 
royal  orchards  and  water  from  the  King's  wells ! 
Come  in  and  take  possession  of  every  room  and  closet 
of  our  lives !    Come  in  and  sup  with  us ! 

The  second  of  the  mysteries  is  the  knowing  of  the 
unknowable  love;  "  that  ye  may  be  able  to  compre- 
hend wiiii  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth  and  height  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ 
which  passeth  knowledge." 

It  is  surmised  that  Paul  is  here  intimating  a  com- 
parison with  the  great  temple  of  Diana,  under  whose 
shadow  these  Christians  of  Ephesus  were  living.  Its 
dimensions  were  familiar;  four  hundred  and  twenty 
feet  long;  two  hundred  feet  wide;  and  seventy  feet  in 
height.  They  could  walk  about  that  temple  and  meas- 
ure it  with  ease ;  but  who  among  them  could  measure 
the  love  of  Christ?  It  is  long  as  eternity  and  wide 
as  the  universe,  high  as  the  heaven  from  which  he 
came  on  his  errand  of  mercy,  and  deep  as  the  hell 
from  which  he  has  saved  us. 

"  Could  we  with  ink  the  ocean  fill ; 
Were  the  whole  world  of  parchment  made; 
Were  every  several  stick  a  quill ; 
And  every  man  a  scribe  by  trade; 


206  PAUL  ON  HIS  KNEES 

To  write  the  love  of  Christ  alone 
Would  drain  that  ocean  dry; 
Nor  could  the  scroll  contain  the  whole, 
Though  stretched  from  sky  to  sky." 

And  the  key  of  this  mystery  is  love ;  "  that  ye  being 
rooted  and  grounded  in  love  may  be  able  to  compre- 
hend it."  No  objective  analysis  will  answer  here. 
We  know  about  light  not  by  reading  Tyndall's  essays, 
but  by  lifting  our  eyes  to  the  sun  as  he  cometh  forth 
like  a  bridegroom  out  of  his  chamber.  We  know 
about  heat  not  by  studying  calorics,  but  by  warming 
our  hands  at  the  fire.  A  man  may  be  familiar  with  the 
chemistry  of  water  and  yet  die  for  want  of  a  cup  of  it. 

A  letter  comes  to  me  from  an  old-fashioned  friend, 
written  in  stilted  phrases  and  a  cramped  hand.  You 
read  it  and  smile ;  there's  nothing  there  for  you.  Ah, 
but  she's  not  your  mother.  Give  me  the  letter,  now; 
how  it  warms  my  heart  and  bedews  my  eyes!  Love 
only  can  comprehend  love.  God's  goodness  is  San- 
scrit to  any  but  his  children.  If  you  would  under- 
stand, you  must  yourself  be  "  rooted  "  in  it  like  a  tree 
drawing  its  life  from  a  fountain  beneath  the  hills ;  and 
"  grounded  "  on  it  like  a  temple  on  a  rock.  So  it  comes 
to  pass  that  the  love  of  Christ  which  is  otherwise 
unknowable  is  known  and  comprehended  by  those 
who  love  him. 

The  third  of  the  Mysteries  is  the  full-filling  of  the 
fulness  of  God;  "  that  ye  might  be  filled  with  all  the 
fulness  of  God." 

At  this  point  I  confess  myself  at  an  utter  loss. 
What  does  this  mean,  to  "  be  filled  with  all  the  fulness 
of  God?"  How  can  the  finite  contain  the  infinite? 
How  can  a  human  heart  hold  the  divine  plenitude? 


PAUL  ON  HIS  KNEES  207 

I  find  one  commentator  saying,  "  It  is  as  when  a 
dewdrop  shines  and  sparkles,  up  to  the  full  measure  of 
its  capacity,  with  the  glory  of  the  sun  " :  and  another 
"  It  is  like  a  child  dipping  a  gourd  into  the  sea ;  the 
gourd,  according  to  its  measure,  holds  the  fulness  of 
the  sea."  But  such  explanations  do  not  explain.  The 
best  we  can  say  is  "  I  do  not  know,"  and  leave  the 
solution  of  this  mystery  to  the  brighter  day. 

Its  key  is  held  in  reserve  among  the  great  surprises 
that  await  us  when  we  reach  the  Kingdom.  "  In  that 
day  ye  shall  know."  Meanwhile  let  us  rest  in  this 
assurance,  "  Eye  hath  not  seen,  nor  ear  heard,  neither 
have  entered  into  the  heart  of  man  the  things  which 
God  hath  prepared  for  them  that  love  him." 

"  There  are  depths  of  love  that  we  cannot  know 
Till  we  cross  the  narrow  sea; 
There  are  heights  of  joy  that  we  may  not  reach 
Till  we  rest,  O  Lord,  in  thee." 

But  here  is  the  practical  question;  Do  we  want  the 
spiritual  strength  that  enables  the  soul  to  mount  up 
as  on  eagle's  wings  and  kindle  its  eyes  at  these  sublime 
verities  as  at  the  noon  day  sun? 

It  goes  without  saying  that  one  who  is  not  a  Christian 
has  no  such  aspiration.  He  has  not  even  begun  to 
run  up  the  heavenly  way.  His  concern  is  for  the  wel- 
fare of  the  outer  man.  At  his  heart  stands  Christ  the 
life  giver,  an  unwelcome  guest,  with  the  door  closed 
against  him.  What  hope  is  there  for  such  a  man? 
His  contentment  on  the  lower  levels  shuts  out  all  pos- 
sible dreams  and  visions  of  better  things  further  on. 

But  what  about  those  who  profess  to  be  Christians? 
Are  they  willing  to  receive  this  power  "  according  to 


20$  PAUL  ON  HIS  KNEES 

the  riches  of  his  glory  ?  "  Oh,  to  be  willing  in  the  day 
of  his  power !  We  are  just  as  good  Christians  as  we 
want  to  be.  I  am  glad  the  Lord  did  not  say,  "  Blessed 
are  they  that  are  satisfied,"  but  "  Blessed  are  they  that 
hunger  and  thirst;  for  they  shall  be  filled."  Where 
there  is  no  hunger  or  thirst  there  is  no  promise  of  the 
bread  and  water  of  life. 

If  we  fall  short  of  our  highest  privilege  it  is  not 
because  of  any  reluctance  on  God's  part.  He  is  will- 
ing to  bless  the  willing  even  unto  the  uttermost.  Large 
prayers  honour  his  beneficence.  "  Open  your  mouths 
wide,"  he  says,  "  and  I  will  fill  them." 

It  is  related  by  Mr.  Moody  that,  after  having  his 
name  on  the  church  roster  for  more  than  twenty  years, 
he  became  convinced  that  there  was  something  beyond, 
a  glorious  measure  of  ability  and  usefulness  to  which 
he  had  not  attained;  and  for  this  he  began  to  pray. 
One  night,  immediately  following  the  Chicago  fire,  he 
walked  the  streets  pleading  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  power.  At  a  late  hour  he  retired  to  his 
room  and  fell  upon  his  knees  resolved  that  there 
should  be  no  more  reservation ;  that  the  last  bolt  should 
be  drawn  and  the  door  thrown  wide  to  the  waiting 
Christ.  Then  the  blessing  came — came  so  plentifully 
that  he  found  himself  walking  up  and  down  his  room 
crying,  "  O  Lord,  stay  now  thy  hand !  No  more,  no 
more ! "  Then  and  there  he  received  the  baptism 
which  enabled  him  to  win  souls  to  Christ  as  doves 
flocking  to  their  windows. 

Oh,  for  this  willingness  to  be  strong ;  this  consuming 
desire  to  be  our  noblest  and  do  our  best  in  return  for 
the  unreserved  love  of  the  Saviour  who  gave  himself 
for  us ! 


PAUL  ON  HIS  KNEES  209 

The  day  came  when  Paul  was  led  out  along  the  way 
towards  Ostia  to  his  execution.  There  were  priests 
and  beggars  and  Arab  merchants  and  camel-drivers 
who  turned  to  look  at  the  procession  as  it  passed. 
This  was  what  they  saw:  an  armed  guard  with  a 
Jewish  culprit  in  chains ;  an  old  man  of  "  mean  pres- 
ence "  who  was  destined  to  walk  through  history  with 
a  commanding  stride.  The  place  was  reached :  there 
was  the  flash  of  a  heavy  sword;  a  head  fell  from  the 
block.  "  There's  an  end  of  this  zealot,"  said  the  exe- 
cutioner to  his  men. 

Little  they  knew !  The  outward  man  had  perished, 
but  the  inward  man  still  lives  and  renews  his  strength 
along  the  centuries.  He  walks  up  and  down  in  our 
Church  councils,  with  a  determining  voice  in  all 
theological  controversies  until  the  end  of  time.  Thus 
Paul's  death  was  but  the  widening  of  his  parish. 

"  Out  of  sight  sinks  the  stone 
In  the  deep  sea  of  time; 
But  the  circles  sweep  on." 

If  we  care  for  an  abiding  influence  like  that  let  us 
make  no  reservation,  as  of  doors  ajar,  in  our  welcome 
to  the  waiting  Christ ;  but  bid  him  come  in  and  sup 
with  us.  And  while  at  the  feast  let  us  lift  our  hearts 
like  chalices  to  be  filled  with  his  inflowing  grace. 

So  shall  Christ  dwell  in  our  hearts  by  faith ;  so 
shall  we,  being  rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  be  able  to 
comprehend  the  love  unknowable ;  so  shall  we  move  on 
from  grace  to  grace  and  from  glory  to  glory  until,  in 
the  clearer  light  of  heaven,  we  shall  understand  what 
this  means,  to  be  "  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  God !  " 


XXIII 

THE  FOURTH  DIMENSION 

"  That  ye  may  be  able  to  comprehend  with  all  saints  what  is 
the  breadth  and  length  and  depth  and  height  and  to  know  the 
love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge." — Eph  :  3 :  18. 

OUR  text  is  a  part  of  Paul's  wonderful  prayer 
for  the  church  members  of  Ephesus :  "  For 
this  cause  I  bow  my  knees  unto  the  Father  of 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  of  whom  the  whole  family  in 
heaven  and  earth  is  named,  that  he  would  grant  you, 
according  to  the  riches  of  his  glory,  to  be  strengthened 
with  might  by  his  Spirit  in  the  inner  man ;  that  Christ 
may  dwell  in  your  hearts  by  faith :  that  ye,  being 
rooted  and  grounded  in  love,  may  be  able  to  compre- 
hend with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth,  and  length, 
and  depth  and  height ;  and  to  know  the  love  of  Christ, 
which  passeth  knowledge ;  that  ye  might  be  filled  with 
all  the  fulness  of  God." 

Here  are  three  paradoxes  in  a  row. 

The  first  is  theological ;  "  that  ye  might  be  filled 
with  all  the  fulness  of  God."  Grasp  that,  if  you  can : 
the  finite  filled  with  all  the  fulness  of  the  infinite! 

The  second  is  rhetorical ;  "  that  ye  might  know  the 
love  of  Christ  which  passeth  knowledge."  This  would 
appear  to  be  the  limit  of  hyperbole;  for  how  can 
one  know  the  unknowable? 

The  third  is  mathematical,  "  that  ye  might  be  able  to 
210 


THE  FOURTH  DIMENSION  211 

comprehend  with  all  saints  what  is  the  breadth  and 
length  and  depth  and  height  of  it." 

In  this  case  the  difficulty  lies  in  the  fact  that  four 
dimensions  are  given  while  we  are  acquainted  with 
only  three.  A  line  has  one  dimension ;  namely,  length. 
A  surface  has  two;  length  and  breadth.  A  space,  like 
a  box  or  a  room,  has  three ;  length,  breadth,  and  depth 
or  thickness.  This  completes  all  measurement,  so  far 
as  our  knowledge  goes. 

A  man  on  shipboard  gets  his  bearings  from  time 
to  time,  first  by  taking  his  latitude,  second  by  taking 
his  longitude  and  third  by  dropping  the  lead.  If 
the  plummet  could  go  clear  through  to  the  other  side 
he  would  find  the  diameter  of  the  world  and  so  make 
a  complete  measurement  of  it. 

A  good  deal  has  been  said  of  late  with  reference  to 
a  fourth  dimension;  but  nobody  seems  to  know  any- 
thing about  it.  There  are  scientists  who  insist  upon 
its  actuality;  but  when  cornered  they  cannot  even  de- 
fine it.  Here,  however,  we  have  it.  The  Apostle  in 
his  prayer  is  measuring  the  divine  Love  as  manifest 
in  grace.  It  stands  before  him  like  a  temple ;  but, 
unlike  other  temples,  four  dimensions  are  needed  to 
describe  it. 

First,  as  to  its  Length;  or  shall  we  say,  its  longi- 
tude. We  are  now  sailing  north.  How  far  must  we 
go  to  reach  the  furthest  limit  of  the  grace  of  God? 

In  the  provisions  of  the  Gospel  it  is  announced 
that  God  is  able  to  save  "  unto  the  uttermost."  There 
is  blood  enough  in  the  fountain  drawn  from  Im- 
manuel's  veins  to  save  every  one  of  the  sixteen  hun- 
dred millions  of  the  world's  inhabitants  even  to  the 
last  man.     The  fact  that  twelve  hundred  millions  are 


212  THE  FOURTH  DIMENSION 

still  unsaved  is  our  fault,  not  his.  He  "  tasted  death 
for  every  man,"  and  "  whosoever  will "  is  invited  to 
partake  of  all  the  benefits  of  the  cross. 

The  quantum  of  sin  in  any  individual  case  pre- 
sents no  obstacle  to  the  scope  of  divine  grace. 
"  Though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet  they  shall  be  as 
white  as  snow."  The  deeper  the  scarlet  the  more 
sovereign  the  cure.  "  Where  sin  hath  abounded  grace 
hath  much  more  abounded."  Drabs  and  drunkards 
who  accept  the  overture  of  mercy  enter  heaven  before 
self-righteous  hypocrites  who  reject  it. 

Second,  as  to  its  Breadth;  or,  so  to  speak,  its  lati- 
tude. Now  we  are  sailing  west.  What  is  this  that  is 
written ;  u  As  far  as  the  East  is  from  the  West,  so  far 
have  I  removed  your  transgressions  from  you." 

How  far  is  the  East  from  the  West  ?  Set  out  from 
San  Francisco  and  see.  Pass  Honolulu  and  the  Philip- 
pines, on  through  the  Straits  of  Malacca;  whither 
now  ?  Westward  ho !  On  through  the  Gulf  of  Aden, 
the  Suez  Canal  and  the  Mediterranean;  out  into  the 
broad  Atlantic,  through  the  Panama  Canal,  always 
Westward,  till  we  sail  again  through  the  Golden  Gate. 
Where  then  is  the  West?  There  is  none !  So  there  is 
no  limit  to  pardoning  grace.     We  sing, 

"  There's  a  wideness  in  God's  mercy 
Like  the  wideness  of  the  sea." 

But  the  measureless  sweep  of  grace  cannot  be 
likened  to  the  wideness  of  the  sea.  A  child  stand- 
ing on  the  beach  and  shading  its  eyes  in  vain  might 
speak  of  "  the  boundless  deep."  We  know,  how- 
ever, by  faith,  which  is  "  the  evidence  of  things  not 
seen,"  that  the  sea  has  a  further  shore.     But  there 


THE  FOURTH  DIMENSION  213 

is  no  distant  shore  whereon  our  exiled  sins  can  find 
a  landing  place.  They  are  wanderers  in  Oblivion. 
They  are  cast  behind  the  back  of  God,  so  that  he  will 
"  remember  them  no  more  against  us." 

On  the  great  Day  of  Atonement  when  the  High 
Priest  came  from  the  Holy  of  Holies,  whither  he 
had  gone  to  make  atonement  for  the  nation,  he  found 
a  scapegoat  awaiting  him.  On  its  devoted  head  he 
laid  his  hands,  red  with  sacrificial  blood,  and  "  pressed 
hard  "  as  the  rabbis  say,  to  indicate  the  transfer  of 
the  heavy  burden  of  the  people's  sins.  So  do  we 
approach  our  Saviour,  saying, 

"  My  faith  would  lay  her  hand 
On  that  dear  head  of  thine, 
While,  like  a  penitent,  I  stand 
And  thus  confess  my  sin." 

And  after  that  the  scapegoat  was  sent  away  "  by  the 
hand  of  a  fit  man,  into  the  land  of  Azazel."  Where 
was  Azazel?  No  one  knows.  Over  the  hills  went 
the  scapegoat  to  Nomansland,  into  the  mysterious 
West,  with  its  burden  of  sin.  So  vast  is  the  latitude 
of  grace.  So  immeasurable  is  the  love  that  redeems 
us! 

Third,  as  to  its  Depth.  Now  let  the  plummet  fall! 
How  far  did  Christ  come  down  to  save  us?  Listen 
to  this :  "  He,  being  in  the  form  of  God,  counted  not 
his  equality  with  God  a  thing  to  be  grasped,  but  emp- 
tied himself,  taking  the  form  of  a  servant,  being  made 
in  the  likeness  of  men :  and,  being  found  in  fashion 
as  a  man,  he  humbled  himself,  becoming  obedient  unto 
death,  even  the  death  of  the  Cross." 

A  man  is  sometimes  found — but  rarely,  thank  God, 


214  THE  FOURTH  DIMENSION 

in  the  church  of  these  enlightened  days — who  says 
"  I  do  not  believe  in  Foreign  Missions."  What  has 
he  to  say  of  this  far  missionary  journey  of  the  only- 
begotten  Son  of  God?  Out  of  "the  glory  which  he 
had  with  the  Father  before  the  world  was  "  he  came — 
laying  aside  his  crown  and  sceptre, — down,  down, 
down  into  the  very  slums  of  this  sin-stricken  world 
to  redeem  us.  Drop  the  lead  a  million  fathoms  and 
you  shall  not  sound  the  depths  of  this  humiliation. 

If  the  sun  were  suddenly  to  descend  at  high  noon 
and  assume  the  proportions  of  a  glow-worm,  it  would 
not  parallel  the  miracle  of  the  manger,  "  Great  is  the 
mystery  of  godliness ;  God  manifest  in  flesh,  the  angels 
desire  to  look  into  it." 

But  the  plummet  goes  deeper  yet.  Not  only  did 
Christ  come  down  to  earth  in  our  behalf:  "he  de- 
scended into  hell,"  that  he  might  bear  the  utmost 
penalty  of  our  sin. 

As  he  entered  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  he  said  to 
the  disciples  who  were  with  him,  "  Tarry  ye  here,  while 
I  go  yonder."  All  alone  he  passed  into  the  darker 
shadow  to  put  the  purple  cup  to  his  lips.  Not  even 
the  chosen  three  could  help  him  drink  it.  For  thus  it 
was  written,  "  I  have  trodden  the  wine-press  alone, 
and  of  the  people  there  was  none  with  me." 

All  alone  he  climbed  up  Via  Dolorosa,  while  his 
great  heart  was  breaking  under  the  burden  of  the 
world's  sin.  Hear  him  now  as,  hung  up  betwixt  heaven 
and  earth,  he  cries,  Eloi,  Eloi  lama  sabachthani!  No 
darkest  night  was  ever  pierced  by  a  cry  like  that; 
"  My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou  forsaken  me !  " 
Then  and  there  did  he  descend  into  hell  for  us !  Into 
that  lowest  depth  he  carried  our  burden  and  left  it 


THE  FOURTH  DIMENSION  215 

there,  "  that  we  might  be  accepted  of  God  and  never 
be  forsaken  of  him." 

For  this  reason  we  are  able  to  say,  "  There  is  there- 
fore no  condemnation  to  them  that  are  in  Christ 
Jesus."  And  here  rings  out  the  great  challenge: 
"  Who  shall  lay  any  thing  to  the  charge  of  God's 
elect  ?  It  is  God  that  justifieth !  Who  is  he  that  con- 
demned? It  is  Christ  that  died;  yea  rather,  that  is 
risen  again,  who  is  even  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  who 
also  maketh  intercession  for  us.  Who  shall  separate 
us  from  the  love  of  Christ?  Shall  tribulation,  or  dis- 
tress, or  persecution,  or  famine,  or  nakedness,  or  peril, 
or  sword  ?  Nay,  in  all  these  things  we  are  more  than 
conquerors  through  him  that  loved  us.  For  I  am  per- 
suaded, that  neither  death,  nor  life,  nor  angels,  nor 
principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things  present,  nor 
things  to  come,  nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other 
creature  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of 
God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord ! " 

And  now  we  come  to  the  fourth  dimension.  We 
have  sought  to  estimate  the  breadth  and  length  and 
depth  of  redeeming  grace ;  but  what  shall  be  said 
of  its  height  ?  "  It  is  high  as  heaven ;  I  cannot  attain 
unto  it." 

How  high  are  the  heavens  ?  The  nearest  of  the  fixed 
stars,  in  the  constellation  of  The  Centaur,  is  200,000 
times  as  far  away  as  the  sun.  Alpha  in  Auriga  is 
4,000,000  times  as  far;  and  beyond  lies  infinite  space, 
thick-set  with  shining  orbs.  Gaze  through  the  inter- 
stellar spaces  long  and  earnestly  as  you  will,  there  are 
always  more  beyond,  wheeling  into  view  like  bat- 
talions speeding  to  the  battle  front.  There  is  no 
limit  to  the  beyond !    So  is  the  altitude  of  divine  grace. 


216  THE  FOURTH  DIMENSION 

It  is  vast  as  the  ether;  near  as  the  air  we  breathe;  im- 
measurable as  the  pathway  to  the  throne. 

This  is  the  fourth  dimension  which  baffles  thought. 
God's  name  is  the  Most  High.  He  is  "  the  high  and 
lofty  One  that  inhabiteth  eternity."  Are  we  bewil- 
dered by  the  mere  effort  of  contemplating  him  ?  So  be 
it.     He  speaks,  "  Be  still  and  know  that  I  am  God !  " 

Yet  "  though  the  Lord  be  high,  he  hath  respect  unto 
to  the  lowly."  In  the  Gospel  of  his  grace  he  lifts  us 
out  of  the  deepest  depths  of  sin  to  labour  together  with 
him  here  and  be  glorified  forever  with  him.  In  Christ 
we  not  only  regain  our  lost  birthright,  but  more.  His 
Cross  bridges  the  infinite  chasm  that  separates  the 
sinner  from  eternal  communion  with  a  holy  God. 

"  His  love,  what  mortal  thought  can  reach, 
What  mortal  tongue  display? 
Imagination's  utmost  stretch 
In  wonder  dies  away." 

How  vain  all  measurements!  We  have  attempted 
the  impossible ;  nothing  less  than  to  compass,  with 
our  poor  quadrants  and  calipers,  the  heart  of  the 
Infinite.  Yet  in  the  bosom  of  Christ  that  heart  is 
"  touched  with  a  feeling  of  our  infirmities."  It  defies 
mathematics,  but  it  yields  to  the  feeblest  cry  of  the 
least  of  his  little  ones.  I  cannot  know  its  breadth  or 
its  length  or  its  depth  or  its  height;  but,  kneeling  in 
the  trysting  place,  I  can  feel  that  heart  beating  against 
mine ;  and,  behold,  I  am  "  as  one  whom  his  mother 
comforteth." 

I  have  seen  in  many  a  humble  home  the  picture 
of  a  "  Burning  Heart "  under  the  shadow  of  a  cross. 
This   is   the   setting   forth   of   the  love   that  passeth 


THE  FOURTH  DIMENSION  217 

knowledge.  "  God  so  loved  the  world  that  he  gave  his 
only  begotten  Son  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him 
should  not  perish  but  have  everlasting  life."  The  love 
of  God  and  the  life  of  man  are  both  in  that  little, 
immeasurable  "  so." 

"It  passeth  knowledge,  that  dear  love  of  thine! 
My  Jesus  !     Saviour !     Yet  this  soul  of  mine 
Would  of  that  love,  in  all  its  depth  and  length. 
Its  height  and  breadth,  and  everlasting  strength, 
Know  more  and  more. 

"  It  passeth  praises,  that  dear  love  of  Thine ! 
My  Jesus  !    Saviour !    Yet  this  heart  of  mine 
Would  sing  a  love  so  rich,  so  full,  so  free, 
Which  brought  an  undone  sinner,  such  as  me, 
Right  home  to  God." 

What  shall  be  rendered  unto  him  for  all  this?  Let 
David  answer;  "I  will  take  of  the  cup  of  thy  salva- 
tion and  call  upon  thy  name."  None  but  an  ingrate 
would  do  less.  Love  for  love,  service  for  sacrifice, 
praise  forever;  this  is  all  that  we  can  do. 

"Just  as  I  am,  thy  love  unknown 
Has  broken  every  barrier  down ; 
Now  to  be  thine,  yea  thine  alone. 
O  Lamb  of  God,  I  come ! " 

This  is  the  love  that  "  constraineth  us ;  because  we 
thus  judge,  that  one  died  for  all,  therefore  all  die ; 
that  they  who  live  should  no  longer  live  unto  them- 
selves, but  unto  him  who  died  for  them." 

Thanks  be  unto  God  for  his  unspeakable  gift! 


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ON  FAITH  AND  BELIEF 


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■pirit  of  liberty,  just  government,  and  freedom  of  individual 
action,  in  the  light  o-f  its  relation  to  the  Great  World  War. 

ED  WARD  LEIGH  PELL,  D.  D.         Author  of"  Troublesome 

■  Religious  Questions''' 

What  Did  Jesus  ReallyTeach  About  War? 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.00. 

Unquestionably  war  is  a  matter  of  consoieitoe.  But  in  Dr. 
Pell's  opinion  what  America  is  suffering  from  just  now  is  not 
a  troubled  conscience  so  much  as  an  untroubled  conscience. 
That  is  why  this  book  does  not  stop  with  clearing  up  trouble- 
some questions. 

ARTHUR  J.  BROWN,  D.D    Author  of"  Unity  and  Missions" 
••  "The  Foreign  Missionary,"  etc 

Russia  in  Transformation 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.00. 

Years  may  pass  before  New  Russia  will  settle  down  to 
stability  of  life  and  administration.  Meanwhile  we  may  be 
helped  to  understand  the  situation  and  have  a  deeper  sym- 
pathy with  Russian  brethren,  if  we  study  the  conditions  lead- 
ing up  to  the  Revolution  and  mind  ourselves  of  fundamental 
characteristics  which  will  undoubtedly  affeet  New  Russia  re- 
gardless of  the  immediate  outcome.     The  book  is  most  timely. 

R.   A.    TORREY,   D.D.         Supt.  Los  Angeles  Bible  Institute 

The  Voice  of  God  in  the  Present  Hour 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.25. 

A  new  collection  of  sermons  by  the  famous  pastor-evan- 
gelist. They  contain  stirring  gospel  appeals  and  also  special 
message©  of  enheartenment  fer  those  who  find  themselves 
perplexed  and  bewildered  by  the  war  conditions  existing  in 
this  and  other  lands. 

JAMES  M.   GRAY,  D.D.      mjr    J      Dean  of  the 

1  Moody  Bible  Institute,  Chuago 

Prophecy  and  the  Lord's  Return 

l2mo,  cloth,  net  75c. 

What  is  the  purpose  of  God  in  connection  with  the  present 
international  cataclysm.  Does  prophecy  deal  with  the  world 
to-day.  The  author,  Dean  of  the  Moody  Bible  Institute,  ef 
Chicago,  is  well-known  as  a  Bible  student  and  expositor, 
whose  writings  find  appreciation  throughout  the  Christian 
world.     Dr.  Grey's  chapters  have  unusual  interest  at  this  time. 


SERMONS  AND  ADDRESSES 


/.     H.    JOWETT,    D.D.  rUth  Avenue  Pr.tbyterian  Church 
2 New    York 

The  Whole  Armour  of  God 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.35. 

"This  popular  preacher  is,  not  only  by  his  own  people,  but 
also  by  large  numbers  of  others,  considered  the  very  greatest 
preacher.  lie  is  possessed  of  a  rare  and  perhaps  unequalled 
combination  of  the  very  qualities  which  captivate.  His 
thoughts  are  always  expressed  in  the  simplest  possible  diction, 
so  that  their  crystalline  clearness  makes  them  at  once  appre- 
hended."— Christian  Evangelist. 

EDGAR    DE  WITT  JONES  Author  of  "The  Inner  Clr<l.» 

The  Wisdom  of  God's  Fools 

And  Other  Sermons.    i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.15. 

A  volume  of  discourses,  displaying  the  same  facility  for  the 
right  word  and  fitting  phrase  which  marked  the  author's  pre- 
vious work.  Mr.  Jones  preaches  sermons  that  read  well — a 
not  at  all  common  quality.  He  is  a  thinker  too;  and  brings 
to  his  thinking  a  lucidity  and  attractiveness  which  make  hia 
presentation  01  great  truths  an  artistic,  as  well  as  an  inspiring 
achievement.  A  note  of  deep  spirituality  is  everywhere  mani- 
fest. 

FREDERICK   F.    SHANNON       Patter  of the  Reformed- Church-on- 
•  the- Height! ,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

The  Enchanted  Universe 

And  Other  Sermons.    i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.00. 

Mr.  Shannon's  reputation  as  an  eloquent  and  forceful 
preacher  is  still  further  enhanced  by  his  new  volume  of  ser- 
mons. The  fervid,  glowing  character  of  the  popular  Brooklyn 
pastor's  appeals,  make  the  reading  of  his  latest  book,  not  only 
an  inspiring,  but  a  fascinating  exercise. 

GEORGE  W.    TRUETT,  D.D.  Pastor  Fnst  Baptist 

•  Church,  Dallas,  Tex. 

We  Would  See  Jesus  and  Other  Sermons 
Compiled  and  edited  by  J.  B.  Cranfill.     Net  $1.15. 

"One  of  the  greatest — many  would  say  the  greatest — of  all 
the  world's  preachers  to-day.  It  ranks  high  among  the  ex- 
tant IxM.ks  ot  sermons,  past  and  present,  and  deserves  a  place 
in   millions  of   homes." — Biblical  Recorder. 

BISHOP  CHARLES  EDWARD  CHENEY 

A  Neglected  Power 

And  Other  Sermons.     i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.00. 

"Thoroughly  evangelical  in  spirit,  refreshing  in  Biblical 
truth  and  abounding  in  helpful  ministrations  for  every  day 
lite." — Hi-angelical  Messenger. 


BOOKS  FOR  MEN 


ROBERT  E.    SPEER,    D.D.  Merrick  Lectures,  1917, 

'  Ohio  Wesleyan  University 

The  Stuff  of  Manhood 

Some  Needed  Notes  in  American  Character, 
net  $1.00. 

Dr.  Speer  holds  that  the  moral  elements  of  individual  char- 
acter are  inevitably  social  and  that  one  service  which  each 
man  must  render  the  nation  is  to  illustrate  in  his  own  life 
and  character  the  moral  qualities  which  ought  to  character- 
ize the  State.  To  a  discussion  of  these  ideals  and  some  sug- 
gested methods  of  their  attainment,  Dr.  Speer  devotes  this 
stirring,    uplifting   book. 

CORTLAND  MYERS,   D.D.  Minister  of 

— — ——J——    Tremont  Temple,  Boston 

Money  Mad  f 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  50c.  4 

The  fearlessly-expressed  views  of  a  popular  pastor  and 
preacher  on  the  all-important  question  of  Money.  Dr. 
Myers  shows  how  a  man  may  make,  save,  spend,  and  give 
money  without  doing  violence  to  his  conscience,  or  his  stand- 
ing as  a  member  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 

CHARLES  REYNOLDS  BROWN,  D.D.      Yale  University 

Five  Young  Men 

Messages  of  Yesterday  for  the  Young  Men  of  To- 
day.   i2mo,  cloth,  75c. 

Dean  Brown's  literary  output  is  always  assured  of  wel- 
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to  students  in  college,  or  young  men  in  business  or  in  the 
home.  But  the  general  reader#  of  almost  any  type,  will  be 
able  to  find  something  of  value  in  this  latest  volume  from  the 
pen  of  a  recognized  writer  of  light  and  leading. 

DEWITT  McMURRAY    of  the  Dallas  Daily  News 

The  Religion  of  a  Newspaper  Man 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.50. 

"Every  one  of  the  chapters  sparkles  with  a  thousand  gems 
that  Mr.  McMurray  has  dug  out  of  obscure  as  well  as  better- 
known  hiding-places  and  sprinkled  in  among  his  own  thoughts 
His  quotations — and  there  are  literally  thousands  of  themr— 
are  exquisitely  timed  and  placed."— Springfield  Republican. 

BURRIS  A.  JENKINS,  D.D. 


The  Man  in  the  Street  and  Religion 

i2mo,  cloth,  net  $1.25. 

"In  a  convincing  and  inspiring  way  and  in  a  graceful 
style,  the  author  presses  home  this  truth,  the  result  of  years 
©1  trained  study  of  human  nature.  The  book  is  the  kind 
that  'the  man  in  the  street'  well  enjoy." — Boston  Globe. 


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